What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).

Pawtucket has the most renters (49.9% rent).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Westminster	Pawtucket
People
Population	8,374Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.3±4.6Highest 24% above U.S.	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.3%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Pawtucket and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,331±$22kHighest 32% above U.S.	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$422,000±$36kHighest 27% above U.S.	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,843±$268Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,973Highest 59% above U.S.	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Westminster and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	12.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Westminster and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#112 of 282 in MA	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Ashburnham-Westminster	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Oakmont Regional High School	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.6Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.