Compare towns
Cranston vs Windsor vs Warwick vs Pawtucket
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 most expensive homes ($378k median).
Windsor has the most people working from home (16.1%).
Warwick has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
Pawtucket has the most renters (49.9% 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 | Windsor | Warwick | Pawtucket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
29,468Lowest |
83,175 |
75,893 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
43.7±1.9 12% above U.S. |
44.3±1Highest 14% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Warwick and Windsor 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% |
19.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Cranston 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% |
20%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±1.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Warwick and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
$104,725±$8kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$88,708±$6k 10% above U.S. |
$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$305,200±$11kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$354,600±$5k 7% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
$1,681±$62Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,363±$76 4% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,103 64% above U.S. |
$5,351Highest 72% above U.S. |
$4,616 48% above U.S. |
$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±6.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Warwick and Cranston 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% |
6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor and Cranston 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 | #117 of 149 in CT | #28 of 38 in RI | #35 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | Warwick | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Windsor High School | Pilgrim High School | William E. Tolman High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Highest |
10.2Lowest |
10.5 |
14.6 |
| 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.