Compare towns
Cranston vs Northbridge vs Sutton
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).
Northbridge has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Northbridge | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
16,458 |
9,452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Northbridge and Cranston 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Cranston 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% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and Northbridge 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. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,300±$7kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,103 64% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northbridge and Sutton 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% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Northbridge 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Northbridge | Sutton |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Northbridge High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Highest |
10.8Lowest |
12.6 |
| 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.