Compare towns
Cranston vs Sterling 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
Cranston has the most expensive homes ($378k median).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
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 | Sterling | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250 |
3,629Lowest |
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±0.9Highest about the U.S. average |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Cranston and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1 U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cranston and Sterling 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±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. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Sterling 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±$7kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$362,200±$8k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59Lowest about the U.S. average |
— | $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 | $5,103Highest 64% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Sterling 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.