Compare towns
Providence vs Plainfield vs Killingly 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
Providence has the most renters (58.6% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Cranston has the highest household income ($90k).
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 | Plainfield | Killingly | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
15,141Lowest |
17,867 |
83,250 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
39.6±0.9Highest about the U.S. average |
| Cranston and Killingly 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% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Providence and Killingly 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% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$90,206±$4kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Cranston and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$8k 9% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
| Providence and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,418 42% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,103Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% 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. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Plainfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | Classical High School | Plainfield High School | Killingly High School | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
10.3Lowest |
11.1 |
15.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.