Compare towns
Cranston vs Hampton vs Pawtucket
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 most expensive homes ($378k median).
Hampton has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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.
| Measure | Cranston | Hampton | Pawtucket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
1,647Lowest |
75,893 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
51.5±5.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Hampton 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% |
26.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
$109,167±$19kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$295,800±$27kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,285±$288 9% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Cranston and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,103Highest 64% above U.S. |
$4,364 40% above U.S. |
$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton and Cranston 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% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton and Cranston 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 | — | #35 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Hampton School District | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | None in town | William E. Tolman High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Highest |
— | 14.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.