Compare towns
Cranston vs Plainfield vs Putnam 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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Scituate has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
15,141 |
9,292Lowest |
10,517 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cranston and Plainfield 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%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Putnam 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% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$112,315±$23kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Cranston 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. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$449,300±$26kHighest 35% 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. |
$1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Cranston 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. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$5,265Highest 69% 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% |
59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above 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% |
13.3%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Scituate 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 | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Plainfield School District | Putnam School District | Scituate |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Plainfield High School | Putnam High School | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Highest |
10.3 |
9.5Lowest |
10.8 |
| 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.