Compare towns
Providence vs Lancaster vs Cranston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
Towns like ProvidenceWarwick
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Providence | Lancaster | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
8,606Lowest |
83,250 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
| Lancaster and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$8kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$378,300±$7k 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$42 about the U.S. average |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,375±$59Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$5,103 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #36 of 38 in RI | #145 of 282 in MA | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Nashoba | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | Classical High School | None in town | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
— | 15.4Lowest |
| 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.