Compare towns
Cranston vs Needham vs Coventry 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).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Coventry has the most affordable homes ($356k median).
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 | Needham | Coventry | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
32,459 |
35,907 |
10,517Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
44±1.1 13% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and Coventry 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. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$102,946±$8k 28% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,300±$7k 14% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$356,200±$11kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$449,300±$26k 35% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,206±$155Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,489±$251 5% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,103 64% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,099Lowest 63% above U.S. |
$5,265 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±11.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±2.2Lowest 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #24 of 38 in RI | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Needham | Coventry | Scituate |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Needham High | Coventry High School | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Highest |
11.9 |
12.3 |
10.8Lowest |
| 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.