Compare towns
Warwick vs Foster vs Cranston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warwick has the most affordable homes ($355k median).
Foster has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Warwick | Foster | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 83,175 |
4,523Lowest |
83,250Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2% RI: +4.3% |
-3%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+3.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 44.3±1 9% above RI |
47.1±3Highest 16% above RI |
39.6±0.9Lowest about the RI average |
| Foster and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±1.1Lowest RI: 18.8% |
18.7%±4.4 RI: 18.8% |
19.6%±1.4Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Cranston and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±1.2Highest RI: 18.7% |
18.5%±3.2 RI: 18.7% |
16.8%±1.1Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Warwick and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.7%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
36.9%Highest RI: 37.7% |
36.4% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.7 RI: 8.3% |
4.1%±2.2Lowest RI: 8.3% |
6.3%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Cranston and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,708±$6kLowest about the RI average |
$113,646±$18kHighest 29% above RI |
$90,206±$4k about the RI average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $354,600±$5kLowest 12% below RI |
$425,300±$30kHighest 5% above RI |
$378,300±$7k 6% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,363±$76Lowest about the RI average |
$1,509±$556Highest 12% above RI |
$1,375±$59 about the RI average |
| Foster and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,616Lowest 6% below RI |
$7,135Highest 46% above RI |
$5,103 4% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±6.1 RI: 48% |
65.8%±25.5Highest RI: 48% |
47.3%±6Lowest RI: 48% |
| Foster and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% RI: 11.2% |
4.7%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
10.2%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3% RI: 63.6% |
91.4%Highest RI: 63.6% |
67.6%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 1 yr older than RI |
1975Highest 13 yrs newer than RI |
1958Lowest 4 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below RI |
33 minHighest 30% above RI |
24 minLowest 5% below RI |
| Work from home | 12.4%±1.2Lowest RI: 13% |
17.7%±4.9Highest RI: 13% |
13%±1.2 RI: 13% |
| Foster 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 | #28 of 38 in RI | #22 of 38 in RI | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Warwick | Foster | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | Pilgrim High School | None in town | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Lowest |
— | 15.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.