Compare towns
Cranston vs Scituate vs Upton
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 renters (32.4% rent).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 49.9).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Scituate | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
10,517 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Cranston 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% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Upton 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% |
34.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 12% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,300±$7kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$449,300±$26k 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
$1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| 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 64% above U.S. |
$5,265 69% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton 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 | #17 of 38 in RI | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Scituate | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Scituate High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Highest |
10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
| 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.