Compare towns

Pawtucket vs Douglas vs Cranston

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pawtucket has the most renters (49.9% rent).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Cranston has the shortest commute (24 min average).

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.

MeasurePawtucketDouglasCranston
People
Population
75,893
9,207Lowest
83,250Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6%
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
37.1±0.8Lowest
5% below U.S.
44±2.6Highest
13% above U.S.
39.6±0.9
about the U.S. average
Kids under 18
22.4%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
21.2%±3.8
U.S.: 22%
19.6%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Pawtucket and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
14.5%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
15.4%±3.1
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Cranston and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
22.2%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
41.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
36.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±0.8
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.3%±0.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cranston and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$68,310±$4kLowest
15% below U.S.
$152,267±$10kHighest
89% above U.S.
$90,206±$4k
12% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$325,500±$8kLowest
about the U.S. average
$470,600±$29kHighest
41% above U.S.
$378,300±$7k
14% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,208±$39Lowest
15% below U.S.
$1,503±$697Highest
6% above U.S.
$1,375±$59
about the U.S. average
Douglas and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,115Lowest
32% above U.S.
$6,338Highest
103% above U.S.
$5,103
64% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
45.9%±4.4
U.S.: 51.1%
33.9%±17.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
47.3%±6Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Cranston and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
13.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
10.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
50.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
83.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1947Lowest
33 yrs older than U.S.
1986Highest
6 yrs newer than U.S.
1958
22 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 min
3% below U.S.
34 minHighest
28% above U.S.
24 minLowest
8% below U.S.
Work from home
9.2%±1.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
20.9%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
13%±1.2
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #35 of 38 in RI #177 of 282 in MA #27 of 38 in RI
School district Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket Douglas Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston
High school in town William E. Tolman High Douglas High School Cranston High School West
Students per teacherat that high school
14.6
7.2Lowest
15.4Highest
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.