Compare towns
Cranston vs Willimantic vs Windham vs North 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 highest household income ($90k).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
North Providence has the oldest population (median age 42.1).
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.
| Measure | Cranston | Willimantic | Windham | North Providence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
18,096Lowest |
23,961 |
34,293 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
31.3±2.7Lowest 20% below U.S. |
33.7±1.9 13% below U.S. |
42.1±1.9Highest 8% above U.S. |
| North Providence and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Willimantic and Windham 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% |
11%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Willimantic and Windham 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 12% above U.S. |
$45,962±$7kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$55,736±$5k 31% below U.S. |
$83,756±$6k 4% above U.S. |
| Cranston and North Providence 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. |
$190,900±$17kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$209,800±$9k 37% below U.S. |
$355,900±$12k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
$1,063±$68Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,107±$69 22% below U.S. |
$1,405±$64Highest about the U.S. average |
| North 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. |
$4,678 50% above U.S. |
$4,633Lowest 49% above U.S. |
$4,843 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.7%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Willimantic 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% |
23.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
63.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cranston and North 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 | — | #143 of 149 in CT | #26 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | — | Windham High School | North Providence High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.