Compare towns
Cranston vs Lancaster 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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
North Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
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 | Lancaster | North Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
8,606Lowest |
34,293 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
42.1±1.9 8% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and North Providence 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cranston and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Providence and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest 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. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$83,756±$6kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,300±$7k 14% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$355,900±$12kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,405±$64 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,103 64% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,843Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.7%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #26 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Nashoba | North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | None in town | North Providence High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Highest |
— | 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.