Compare towns
Cranston vs Providence vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cranston has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Scituate has the most homeowners (87.3%).
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 | Providence | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250 |
191,767Highest |
10,517Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% RI: +4.3% |
+7.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9 about the RI average |
32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
49.9±4Highest 23% above RI |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4 RI: 18.8% |
20.1%±1Highest RI: 18.8% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| 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 RI: 18.7% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
25.2%±4.3Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest RI: 37.7% |
34.6%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
34.7% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8 RI: 8.3% |
14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,206±$4k about the RI average |
$68,119±$3kLowest 22% below RI |
$112,315±$23kHighest 28% above RI |
| 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 6% below RI |
$362,200±$8kLowest 10% below RI |
$449,300±$26kHighest 11% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59Lowest about the RI average |
$1,408±$42 5% above RI |
$1,489±$251Highest 11% above RI |
| Scituate and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,103 4% above RI |
$4,418Lowest 10% below RI |
$5,265Highest 7% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6Lowest RI: 48% |
48%±2.8 RI: 48% |
59.6%±25.9Highest RI: 48% |
| Scituate and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2% RI: 11.2% |
20.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
5%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% RI: 63.6% |
41.4%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
87.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 4 yrs older than RI |
1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
1966Highest 4 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 5% below RI |
25 min about the RI average |
31 minHighest 20% above RI |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Lowest RI: 13% |
14.3%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
13.3%±5.1 RI: 13% |
| Providence and Scituate 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 | #36 of 38 in RI | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Scituate |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Classical High School | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4 |
17.2Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
RI 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.