What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cranston has the most affordable homes ($378k median).

Hingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).

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	Cranston	Hingham
People
Population	83,250Highest	24,283Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average	48.4±2.4Highest 24% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	26%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	76.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,206±$4kLowest 12% above U.S.	$178,390±$15kHighest 121% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$378,300±$7kLowest 14% above U.S.	$1,134,200±$47kHighest 241% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,375±$59Lowest about the U.S. average	$2,465±$603Highest 74% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,103Lowest 64% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	60.3%±12Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hingham and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	80.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 8% below U.S.	36 minHighest 37% above U.S.
Work from home	13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	33.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#27 of 38 in RI	#14 of 282 in MA
School district	Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston	Hingham
High school in town	Cranston High School West	Hingham High
Students per teacherat that high school	15.4Highest	12.9Lowest
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.