Compare towns
Providence vs Cranston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
Towns like ProvidenceWarwick
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Cranston has the most homeowners (67.6%).
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 | Providence | Cranston |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
83,250Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
39.6±0.9Highest about the RI average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1Highest RI: 18.8% |
19.6%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Providence and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
16.8%±1.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
36.4%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
6.3%±0.8Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $68,119±$3kLowest 22% below RI |
$90,206±$4kHighest about the RI average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$8kLowest 10% below RI |
$378,300±$7kHighest 6% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI |
$1,375±$59Lowest about the RI average |
| Providence and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,418Lowest 10% below RI |
$5,103Highest 4% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8Highest RI: 48% |
47.3%±6Lowest RI: 48% |
| Providence and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 20.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
10.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
67.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
1958Highest 4 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the RI average |
24 minLowest 5% below RI |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
13%±1.2Lowest RI: 13% |
| Providence and Cranston 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 | #36 of 38 in RI | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | Classical High School | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
15.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.