Compare towns
Cranston vs Plainfield vs Warwick
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).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Warwick has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
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.
| Measure | Cranston | Plainfield | Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
15,141Lowest |
83,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.3±1Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±1.1Lowest 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% |
21.6%±1.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.7Lowest 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±$4kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$88,708±$6k 10% above U.S. |
| Cranston and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$354,600±$5k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,363±$76 4% below U.S. |
| Cranston and Warwick 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. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,616 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±6.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Warwick and Cranston 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3% 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. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cranston and Warwick 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 | #28 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Plainfield School District | Warwick |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Plainfield High School | Pilgrim High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Highest |
10.3Lowest |
10.5 |
| 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.