Compare towns
Scituate vs Upton vs Cranston vs North Smithfield
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).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Cranston has the most affordable 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 | Scituate | Upton | Cranston | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,517 |
8,189Lowest |
83,250Highest |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.5±3.9 17% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and North Smithfield 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and North Smithfield 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$90,206±$4kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$108,866±$12k 35% above U.S. |
| Upton and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $449,300±$26k 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$378,300±$7kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$457,200±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
$1,282±$531 9% below U.S. |
| Scituate and Cranston 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,103Lowest 64% above U.S. |
$5,219 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 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. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and North Smithfield 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #27 of 38 in RI | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Scituate | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Blackstone Valley | Cranston High School West | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
15.4Highest |
12.1 |
| 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.