Compare towns
Cranston vs Providence vs Woonsocket
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 most homeowners (67.6%).
Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Woonsocket has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
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 | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250 |
191,767Highest |
43,521Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+7.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+5% RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9Highest about the RI average |
32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
35.7±1.3 12% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
20.1%±1 RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4 RI: 18.7% |
| Cranston and Woonsocket 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 RI: 37.7% |
34.6% RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8 RI: 8.3% |
14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,206±$4kHighest about the RI average |
$68,119±$3k 22% below RI |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,300±$7kHighest 6% below RI |
$362,200±$8k 10% below RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59 about the RI average |
$1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
| Providence and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,103Highest 4% above RI |
$4,418 10% below RI |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6 RI: 48% |
48%±2.8Highest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest RI: 48% |
| Providence and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
20.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
18.7% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
41.4% RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Highest 4 yrs older than RI |
1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
1952 10 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 5% below RI |
25 min about the RI average |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2 RI: 13% |
14.3%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
| Providence 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 | #36 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Classical High School | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4 |
17.2Highest |
15.2Lowest |
| 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.