Compare towns
Cranston vs Woonsocket vs North Providence
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cranston has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
North Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
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 | Woonsocket | North Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,250Highest |
43,521 |
34,293Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+5% RI: +4.3% |
+6.3%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 39.6±0.9 about the RI average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
42.1±1.9Highest 4% above RI |
| 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 RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.1 RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.7% |
20.9%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
36.9%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
6.2%±1.4 RI: 8.3% |
| Cranston and North Providence 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 about the RI average |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$83,756±$6k 5% below RI |
| 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 6% below RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$355,900±$12k 12% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$59 about the RI average |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,405±$64Highest 5% above RI |
| 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 4% above RI |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$4,843 about the RI average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±6Highest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4 RI: 48% |
42.7%±6.2Lowest RI: 48% |
| Cranston and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2% RI: 11.2% |
18.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
9.3%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
63.9% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 4 yrs older than RI |
1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI |
1970Highest 8 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 5% below RI |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
27 min 7% above RI |
| Work from home | 13%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
12.4%±2.5 RI: 13% |
| 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #26 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island |
| High school in town | Cranston High School West | Woonsocket High School | North Providence High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.4Highest |
15.2 |
12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
RI 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.