Compare towns
Cranston vs West Warwick vs Woonsocket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cranston has the most people working from home (13%).
West Warwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% 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 | West Warwick | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
31,173Lowest |
43,521 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+6.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+5% RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9 about the RI average |
42.8±1.5Highest 5% above RI |
35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4 RI: 18.8% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.1 RI: 18.7% |
20%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| West Warwick 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%Highest RI: 37.7% |
26.4% RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.7%±1.3 RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Cranston and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,206±$4kHighest about the RI average |
$77,608±$7k 12% below RI |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,300±$7kHighest 6% below RI |
$330,800±$12k 18% below RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59Highest about the RI average |
$1,303±$74 about the RI average |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
| Cranston and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,103Highest 4% above RI |
$4,962 about the RI average |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6Highest RI: 48% |
43.5%±7.8Lowest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4 RI: 48% |
| Cranston and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2% RI: 11.2% |
9.6%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
18.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
57% RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 4 yrs older than RI |
1968Highest 6 yrs newer than RI |
1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 5% below RI |
25 min about the RI average |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
7.2%±2 RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #27 of 38 in RI | #33 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | West Warwick | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | West Warwick High School | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Highest |
13.0Lowest |
15.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.