Compare towns
Cranston vs Killingly vs Plainville vs East 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 highest household income ($90k).
Killingly has the most homeowners (71.6%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
East Providence has the most renters (40.1% 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 | Killingly | Plainville | East Providence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
17,867 |
17,551Lowest |
47,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
45.1±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
| East Providence and Plainville 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% |
19.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Killingly and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| East Providence and Plainville 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% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,206±$4kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$75,912±$8kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Cranston and Killingly 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. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$365,500±$10k 10% above U.S. |
| Cranston and East Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,288±$75 9% below U.S. |
| Cranston and East Providence 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. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$4,545 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±6.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| East Providence 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% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cranston and East 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 | #136 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | #29 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | East Providence |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Killingly High School | Plainville High School | East Providence High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4 |
11.1Lowest |
11.4 |
15.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.