What stands out worked out from the figures below

Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).

Cranston has the most affordable homes ($378k 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	Needham	Cranston
People
Population	32,459Lowest	83,250Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S.	39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%	19.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Needham and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Cranston and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S.	$90,206±$4kLowest 12% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S.	$378,300±$7kLowest 14% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S.	$1,375±$59Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$5,103Lowest 64% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Needham and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1965Highest 15 yrs older than U.S.	1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 5% above U.S.	24 minLowest 8% below U.S.
Work from home	32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#19 of 282 in MA	#27 of 38 in RI
School district	Needham	Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston
High school in town	Needham High	Cranston High School West
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Lowest	15.4Highest
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.