Compare towns
Scituate vs Sterling 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 oldest population (median age 49.9).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Cranston has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Sterling | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,517 |
3,629Lowest |
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. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Cranston 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% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and Scituate 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. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$90,206±$4kLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Sterling 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. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$378,300±$7k 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
— | $1,375±$59Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Scituate and Cranston 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. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,103 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Cranston 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Scituate 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 | #17 of 38 in RI | #119 of 149 in CT | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Scituate | Sterling School District | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | None in town | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
— | 15.4Highest |
| 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.