Compare towns
Pawtucket vs Willimantic 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Willimantic has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
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 | Willimantic | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 75,893 |
18,096Lowest |
83,250Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
31.3±2.7Lowest 20% below U.S. |
39.6±0.9Highest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,310±$4k 15% below U.S. |
$45,962±$7kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$90,206±$4kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$8k about the U.S. average |
$190,900±$17kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,063±$68Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,375±$59Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$4,678 50% above U.S. |
$5,103Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Willimantic 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% |
23.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Highest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #35 of 38 in RI | — | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | — | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | William E. Tolman High | — | 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.