Compare towns
Scituate vs Plainville 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
Scituate has the highest household income ($112k).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Cranston has the most kids (19.6% under 18).
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 | Scituate | Plainville | Windsor Locks | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,517Lowest |
17,551 |
12,579 |
83,250Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cranston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,315±$23kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $449,300±$26kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$378,300±$7k 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
| Scituate and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,265Highest 69% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,103 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Scituate 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 | #17 of 38 in RI | #89 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Scituate | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Windsor Locks School District | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Plainville High School | Windsor Locks High School | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8 |
11.4 |
8.9Lowest |
15.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.