Compare towns
Cranston vs Johnston vs Sutton vs Scituate
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 renters (32.4% rent).
Johnston has the most affordable homes ($356k median).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 49.9).
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 | Johnston | Sutton | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
29,835 |
9,452Lowest |
10,517 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Johnston 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% |
28.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,206±$4kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$91,866±$6k 14% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Scituate 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. |
$355,500±$13kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$449,300±$26k 35% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
$1,275±$132 10% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Cranston 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. |
$4,614Lowest 48% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$5,265 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Sutton 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% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #27 of 38 in RI | #32 of 38 in RI | #105 of 282 in MA | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Johnston | Sutton | Scituate |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Johnston Senior High | Sutton High School | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Highest |
10.3Lowest |
12.6 |
10.8 |
| 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.