Compare towns
Providence vs Plainville 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 the most renters (58.6% rent).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k 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 | Plainville | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
17,551Lowest |
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. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest 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% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville 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% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$90,206±$4kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Cranston and Plainville 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. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% 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 | $4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$5,103Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest 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% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%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 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | Classical High School | Plainville High School | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
11.4Lowest |
15.4 |
| 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.