Compare towns
Cranston vs Suffield 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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
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 | Suffield | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250 |
15,702Lowest |
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±0.9 about the U.S. average |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Suffield and Cranston 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% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,300±$7k 14% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$362,200±$8kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,408±$42 about the U.S. average |
| Suffield and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,103 64% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suffield and Providence 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Providence 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Suffield School District | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Suffield High School | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4 |
10.9Lowest |
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.