What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).

Cranston has the most people working from home (13%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Putnam	Cranston
People
Population	9,292Lowest	83,250Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+3.2% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S.	39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Cranston and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Putnam and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S.	$90,206±$4kHighest 12% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S.	$378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S.	$1,375±$59Highest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S.	$5,103Highest 64% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	47.3%±6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Cranston and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	10.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	67.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.	1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 6% below U.S.	24 minLowest 8% below U.S.
Work from home	9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Cranston and Putnam 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	#128 of 149 in CT	#27 of 38 in RI
School district	Putnam School District	Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston
High school in town	Putnam High School	Cranston High School West
Students per teacherat that high school	9.5Lowest	15.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.