Compare towns
Cranston vs Hingham vs North 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).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
North Providence has the most affordable homes ($356k median).
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 | Hingham | North Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
24,283Lowest |
34,293 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.4±2.4Highest 24% above U.S. |
42.1±1.9 8% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
76.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% 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% |
6.2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and North Providence 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. |
$178,390±$15kHighest 121% above U.S. |
$83,756±$6kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,300±$7k 14% above U.S. |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 241% above U.S. |
$355,900±$12kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,465±$603Highest 74% above U.S. |
$1,405±$64 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,103 64% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,843Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.3%±12Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.7%±6.2Lowest 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% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #27 of 38 in RI | #14 of 282 in MA | #26 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Hingham | North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Hingham High | North Providence High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Highest |
12.9 |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.