Compare towns
Cranston vs Pomfret 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
Pomfret has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Pomfret | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250 |
4,317Lowest |
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 |
45.9±3.7Highest 18% above U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1 U.S.: 22% |
| Pomfret and Providence 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% |
17.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pomfret 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
$108,476±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,300±$7k 14% above U.S. |
$409,100±$28kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$362,200±$8kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Pomfret and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
$1,210±$300Lowest 14% 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 | $5,103 64% above U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pomfret and Providence 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.2%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Providence and Pomfret 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 | #39 of 149 in CT | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Pomfret School District | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | None in town | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Lowest |
— | 17.2Highest |
| 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.