What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cranston has the most people working from home (13%).

Pawtucket 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Cranston	Pawtucket
People
Population	83,250Highest	75,893Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+6.3%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	39.6±0.9Highest about the RI average	37.1±0.8Lowest 9% below RI
Kids under 18	19.6%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.8%	22.4%±1.6Highest RI: 18.8%
	Pawtucket and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.8%±1.1Highest RI: 18.7%	14.5%±1.1Lowest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.4%Highest RI: 37.7%	22.2%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3%	5.6%±0.8Lowest RI: 8.3%
	Cranston and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,206±$4kHighest about the RI average	$68,310±$4kLowest 22% below RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$378,300±$7kHighest 6% below RI	$325,500±$8kLowest 19% below RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,375±$59Highest about the RI average	$1,208±$39Lowest 10% below RI
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,103Highest 4% above RI	$4,115Lowest 16% below RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.3%±6Highest RI: 48%	45.9%±4.4Lowest RI: 48%
	Cranston and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.2%Lowest RI: 11.2%	13.3%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.6%Highest RI: 63.6%	50.1%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Highest 4 yrs older than RI	1947Lowest 15 yrs older than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 5% below RI	26 minHighest about the RI average
Work from home	13%±1.2Highest RI: 13%	9.2%±1.5Lowest RI: 13%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#27 of 38 in RI	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Cranston High School West	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	15.4Highest	14.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

RI 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.