Compare towns
Scituate vs Upton vs Plainfield 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).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Upton | Plainfield | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,517 |
8,189Lowest |
15,141 |
83,250Highest |
| 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% |
| Median age | 49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
| 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% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4 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% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Upton 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% 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% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and Plainfield 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. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$90,206±$4k 12% 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. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$378,300±$7k 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,375±$59 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 | $5,265 69% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$5,103 64% 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% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older 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. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Scituate | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Plainfield School District | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Blackstone Valley | Plainfield High School | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8 |
11.2 |
10.3Lowest |
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.