Compare towns
Cranston vs Lancaster vs Windsor Locks
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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k 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 | Lancaster | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
8,606Lowest |
12,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Windsor Locks 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% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest 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%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Windsor Locks 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% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and Windsor Locks 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. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,300±$7k 14% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,103 64% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Windsor Locks 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #27 of 38 in RI | #145 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Nashoba | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | None in town | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Highest |
— | 8.9Lowest |
| 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.