Compare towns
Cranston vs Windsor Locks vs 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).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 Locks | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250 |
12,579Lowest |
191,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
41.4±2.6Highest 6% above U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks 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% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Providence 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% |
18.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor Locks 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% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,206±$4kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Cranston and Windsor Locks 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. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$362,200±$8k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
| Providence and Windsor Locks 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. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Providence 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% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | — | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | — | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Lowest |
— | 17.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.