What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cranston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).

Westfield has the most affordable homes ($325k median).

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	Westfield
People
Population	83,250Highest	40,378Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average	39.9±1.8Highest about the U.S. average
	Westfield and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22%	18.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Cranston and Westfield 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%	18.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Westfield 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 U.S.: 35.7%	33.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,206±$4kHighest 12% above U.S.	$87,753±$6kLowest 9% above U.S.
	Cranston and Westfield 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.	$325,100±$11kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,375±$59Highest about the U.S. average	$1,117±$60Lowest 21% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,103Highest 64% above U.S.	$4,746Lowest 52% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.3%±6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	46.5%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Cranston and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	68.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S.	1964Highest 16 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 8% below U.S.	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	13%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#27 of 38 in RI	#197 of 282 in MA
School district	Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston	Westfield
High school in town	Cranston High School West	Westfield High
Students per teacherat that high school	15.4Highest	11.9Lowest
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.