What stands out worked out from the figures below

Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).

Cranston has the most renters (32.4% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Smithfield	Cranston
People
Population	22,233Lowest	83,250Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2% RI: +4.3%	+3.2% RI: +4.3%
Median age	41.8±2.6Highest about the RI average	39.6±0.9Lowest about the RI average
	Smithfield and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.9%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8%	19.6%±1.4Highest RI: 18.8%
	Cranston and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.1%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7%	16.8%±1.1Lowest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40%Highest RI: 37.7%	36.4%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3%	6.3%±0.8Lowest RI: 8.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,077±$8kHighest 16% above RI	$90,206±$4kLowest about the RI average
	Smithfield and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$446,400±$12kHighest 10% above RI	$378,300±$7kLowest 6% below RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI	$1,375±$59Highest about the RI average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,207Highest 6% above RI	$5,103Lowest 4% above RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48%	47.3%±6Lowest RI: 48%
	Smithfield and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Lowest RI: 11.2%	10.2%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.6%Highest RI: 63.6%	67.6%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI	1958Lowest 4 yrs older than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 4% below RI	24 minLowest 5% below RI
Work from home	14%±3.1Highest RI: 13%	13%±1.2Lowest RI: 13%
	Smithfield 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	#8 of 38 in RI	#27 of 38 in RI
School district	Smithfield	Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston
High school in town	Smithfield High School	Cranston High School West
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Lowest	15.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

RI 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.