Compare towns
Cranston vs Plainfield vs Putnam 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 highest household income ($90k).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).
Putnam has the oldest population (median age 43.7).
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 | Plainfield | Putnam | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 83,250 |
15,141 |
9,292Lowest |
191,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Providence 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% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putnam 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,206±$4kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$362,200±$8k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
| Providence and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,103Highest 64% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Providence and Cranston 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% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Providence and Cranston 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Plainfield School District | Putnam School District | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Plainfield High School | Putnam High School | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4 |
10.3 |
9.5Lowest |
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.