Compare towns
Cranston vs Hampton vs Scituate 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).
Hampton has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Scituate has the most expensive homes ($449k 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 | Hampton | Scituate | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 83,250 |
1,647Lowest |
10,517 |
191,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
51.5±5.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
49.9±4 28% above U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Providence 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% |
25.2%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
$109,167±$19k 35% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Scituate and Hampton 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. |
$295,800±$27kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$449,300±$26kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$362,200±$8k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
$1,285±$288Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,408±$42 about the U.S. average |
| Scituate 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. |
$4,364Lowest 40% above U.S. |
$5,265Highest 69% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±51.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Hampton 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton and Providence 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 | — | #17 of 38 in RI | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Hampton School District | Scituate | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | None in town | Scituate High School | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4 |
— | 10.8Lowest |
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.