What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cranston has the most people working from home (13%).

Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k 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	Winchester
People
Population	83,250Highest	10,284Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average	49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22%	15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Cranston and Winchester 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%	27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	27.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Cranston and Winchester 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.	$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S.	$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,375±$59Highest about the U.S. average	$1,174±$116Lowest 17% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,103Highest 64% above U.S.	$4,780Lowest 53% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	48.9%±15.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Winchester and Cranston 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%	12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Highest 22 yrs older than U.S.	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 8% below U.S.	26 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	13%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#27 of 38 in RI	#97 of 149 in CT
School district	Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston	Explorations District · Regional School District 07
High school in town	Cranston High School West	Northwestern Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.4Highest	9.7Lowest
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.