Compare towns
Cranston vs Douglas vs Sutton vs Providence
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cranston has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Douglas has the most kids (21.2% under 18).
Sutton has the most expensive homes ($523k median).
Providence has the most renters (58.6% 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.
| Measure | Cranston | Douglas | Sutton | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 83,250 |
9,207Lowest |
9,452 |
191,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1 U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Douglas and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,300±$7k 14% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$362,200±$8kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,408±$42 about the U.S. average |
| Douglas and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,103 64% above U.S. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Providence and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Douglas 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 | #27 of 38 in RI | #177 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Douglas | Sutton | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Douglas High School | Sutton High School | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4 |
7.2Lowest |
12.6 |
17.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.