Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Suffield 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).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
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.
| Measure | Pawtucket | Suffield | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893 |
15,702Lowest |
83,250Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Cranston 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% |
18.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Suffield 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% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest 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. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$378,300±$7k 14% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
| Suffield 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. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$5,103 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suffield and Cranston 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #35 of 38 in RI | #57 of 149 in CT | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Suffield School District | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | Suffield High School | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
10.9Lowest |
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.