Compare towns
Cranston vs Millis vs Upton vs 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).
Millis has the most expensive homes ($604k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Providence has the most renters (58.6% 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 | Millis | Upton | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 83,250 |
8,888 |
8,189Lowest |
191,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
46.4±3Highest 19% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Millis and Upton 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% |
54.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
$155,996±$9kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Millis and Upton 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. |
$603,500±$31kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$362,200±$8kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
$1,696±$279Highest 20% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,408±$42 about the U.S. average |
| Millis and Providence 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. |
$9,344Highest 200% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.5%±16.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Millis and Upton 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Millis 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 | #63 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Millis | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Millis High School | Blackstone Valley | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4 |
10.7Lowest |
11.2 |
17.2Highest |
| 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.