Compare towns
Scituate vs Townsend vs Glocester 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 most expensive homes ($449k median).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Glocester has the most homeowners (91%).
Cranston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Townsend | Glocester | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,517 |
9,100Lowest |
10,221 |
83,250Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.9±4 28% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
50.8±4.3Highest 31% above U.S. |
39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Glocester and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Glocester 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% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$113,508±$7k 41% above U.S. |
$90,206±$4kLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Glocester 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. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$396,500±$28k 19% above U.S. |
$378,300±$7kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,417±$627 about the U.S. average |
$1,375±$59Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Scituate and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,265 69% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,248 68% above U.S. |
$5,103Lowest 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.6%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Glocester and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
91%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Scituate and Glocester 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #12 of 38 in RI | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Scituate | North Middlesex | Foster-Glocester · Glocester | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | North Middlesex Regional | Ponaganset High School | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
13.1 |
12.8 |
15.4Highest |
| 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.