Compare towns
Cranston vs Plainville vs Putnam
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 expensive homes ($378k median).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% 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 | Plainville | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
17,551 |
9,292Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
| Plainville 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% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Cranston and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville 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% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and Plainville 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. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Cranston and Plainville 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. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,103Highest 64% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cranston and Plainville 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% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest 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 min 8% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cranston and Plainville 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Putnam School District |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Plainville High School | Putnam High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Highest |
11.4 |
9.5Lowest |
| 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.