Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Cranston vs Providence
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pawtucket has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Cranston has the most homeowners (67.6%).
Providence has the most renters (58.6% 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 | Pawtucket | Cranston | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893Lowest |
83,250 |
191,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% RI: +4.3% |
+3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+7.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 9% below RI |
39.6±0.9Highest about the RI average |
32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6Highest RI: 18.8% |
19.6%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
20.1%±1 RI: 18.8% |
| Pawtucket and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±1.1 RI: 18.7% |
16.8%±1.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
36.4%Highest RI: 37.7% |
34.6% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8Lowest RI: 8.3% |
6.3%±0.8 RI: 8.3% |
14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4k 22% below RI |
$90,206±$4kHighest about the RI average |
$68,119±$3kLowest 22% below RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8kLowest 19% below RI |
$378,300±$7kHighest 6% below RI |
$362,200±$8k 10% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39Lowest 10% below RI |
$1,375±$59 about the RI average |
$1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI |
| Providence and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115Lowest 16% below RI |
$5,103Highest 4% above RI |
$4,418 10% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest RI: 48% |
47.3%±6 RI: 48% |
48%±2.8Highest RI: 48% |
| Providence and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.3% RI: 11.2% |
10.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
20.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% RI: 63.6% |
67.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
41.4%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 15 yrs older than RI |
1958Highest 4 yrs older than RI |
1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the RI average |
24 minLowest 5% below RI |
25 min about the RI average |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5Lowest RI: 13% |
13%±1.2 RI: 13% |
14.3%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
| Providence 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 | #35 of 38 in RI | #27 of 38 in RI | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Cranston High School West | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Lowest |
15.4 |
17.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.