Compare towns
Providence vs Thompson vs Windsor Locks 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).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Cranston has the most expensive homes ($378k median).
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 | Thompson | Windsor Locks | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
9,337Lowest |
12,579 |
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. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 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% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson and Windsor Locks 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% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
| Thompson and Cranston 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. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
| Providence and Windsor Locks 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. |
$3,822 23% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,103Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Thompson 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% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 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. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Providence 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 | #130 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Thompson School District | Windsor Locks School District | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | Classical High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Windsor Locks High School | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
7.9Lowest |
8.9 |
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.