Compare towns
Pawtucket vs West Warwick vs Cranston
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).
West Warwick has the oldest population (median age 42.8).
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 | West Warwick | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893 |
31,173Lowest |
83,250Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+6.2% RI: +4.3% |
+3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8Lowest 9% below RI |
42.8±1.5Highest 5% above RI |
39.6±0.9 about the RI average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6Highest RI: 18.8% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
19.6%±1.4 RI: 18.8% |
| 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 RI: 18.7% |
20%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
16.8%±1.1 RI: 18.7% |
| West Warwick 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 RI: 37.7% |
26.4% RI: 37.7% |
36.4%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8Lowest RI: 8.3% |
5.7%±1.3 RI: 8.3% |
6.3%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Cranston and West Warwick 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 22% below RI |
$77,608±$7k 12% below RI |
$90,206±$4kHighest about the RI average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8kLowest 19% below RI |
$330,800±$12k 18% below RI |
$378,300±$7kHighest 6% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39Lowest 10% below RI |
$1,303±$74 about the RI average |
$1,375±$59Highest about the RI average |
| Cranston and West Warwick 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 |
$4,962 about the RI average |
$5,103Highest 4% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4 RI: 48% |
43.5%±7.8Lowest RI: 48% |
47.3%±6Highest RI: 48% |
| 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 RI: 11.2% |
9.6%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
10.2% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
57% RI: 63.6% |
67.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 15 yrs older than RI |
1968Highest 6 yrs newer than RI |
1958 4 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the RI average |
25 min about the RI average |
24 minLowest 5% below RI |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 RI: 13% |
7.2%±2Lowest RI: 13% |
13%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #35 of 38 in RI | #33 of 38 in RI | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | West Warwick | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | West Warwick High School | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
13.0Lowest |
15.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.