Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Preston vs Woonsocket 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1947).
Preston has the most homeowners (91.7%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Cranston has the most people working from home (13%).
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 | Preston | Woonsocket | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 75,893 |
4,821Lowest |
43,521 |
83,250Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Pawtucket 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% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 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±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
| Preston and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Cranston and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115 32% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,103Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Preston and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cranston and Preston 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Preston School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | None in town | Woonsocket High School | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Lowest |
— | 15.2 |
15.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.