Compare towns
Providence vs Windsor Locks vs Brooklyn 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).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Brooklyn has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
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 | Windsor Locks | Brooklyn | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
12,579 |
8,517Lowest |
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. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
| Brooklyn and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Providence 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% |
18.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor Locks and Brooklyn 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% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%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% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn 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. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$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. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$5,103Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks 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% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Windsor Locks School District | Brooklyn School District | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | Classical High School | Windsor Locks High School | None in town | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
8.9Lowest |
— | 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.