What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cranston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Cranston	Scituate
People
Population	83,250Highest	10,517Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Highest RI: +4.3%	+0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3%
Median age	39.6±0.9Lowest about the RI average	49.9±4Highest 23% above RI
Kids under 18	19.6%±1.4Highest RI: 18.8%	14.9%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8%
Age 65+	16.8%±1.1Lowest RI: 18.7%	25.2%±4.3Highest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.4%Highest RI: 37.7%	34.7%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3%	4.2%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3%
	Cranston and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,206±$4kLowest about the RI average	$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±$7kLowest 6% below RI	$449,300±$26kHighest 11% above RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,375±$59Lowest about the RI average	$1,489±$251Highest 11% above RI
	Scituate and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,103Lowest 4% above RI	$5,265Highest 7% above RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.3%±6Lowest RI: 48%	59.6%±25.9Highest RI: 48%
	Scituate 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 RI: 11.2%	5%Lowest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.6%Lowest RI: 63.6%	87.3%Highest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 4 yrs older than RI	1966Highest 4 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 5% below RI	31 minHighest 20% above RI
Work from home	13%±1.2Lowest RI: 13%	13.3%±5.1Highest RI: 13%
	Scituate 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	#17 of 38 in RI
School district	Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston	Scituate
High school in town	Cranston High School West	Scituate High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.4Highest	10.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.