What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cranston has the most affordable homes ($378k median).

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.

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

Measure	Cranston	Upton
People
Population	83,250Highest	8,189Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average	46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.6%±1.4Lowest 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%	20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Upton 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%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%	2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,206±$4kLowest 12% above U.S.	$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$378,300±$7kLowest 14% above U.S.	$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,375±$59Highest about the U.S. average	$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S.
	Cranston and Upton 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.	$8,376Highest 169% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Upton 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 U.S.: 12.5%	3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S.	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 8% below U.S.	35 minHighest 34% above U.S.
Work from home	13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#27 of 38 in RI	#46 of 282 in MA
School district	Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston	Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton
High school in town	Cranston High School West	Blackstone Valley
Students per teacherat that high school	15.4Highest	11.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.