Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Raynham 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).
Raynham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.1%).
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 | Raynham | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893 |
15,505Lowest |
83,250Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42.9±1.5Highest 10% above U.S. |
39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Raynham 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% |
19.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Raynham and Cranston 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% |
39.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1Lowest 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. |
$124,012±$16kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$524,400±$29kHighest 58% above U.S. |
$378,300±$7k 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,749±$74Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$6,752Highest 116% above U.S. |
$5,103 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.1%±13.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%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. |
36 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cranston and Raynham 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 | #190 of 282 in MA | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Bridgewater-Raynham | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | None in town | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Lowest |
— | 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.