Compare towns
West Warwick vs Putnam 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
West Warwick has the most renters (43% rent).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
Cranston has the most people working from home (13%).
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 | West Warwick | Putnam | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,173 |
9,292Lowest |
83,250Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±1.5 10% above U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Putnam and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cranston and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Warwick and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,608±$7k 4% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$90,206±$4kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $330,800±$12k about the U.S. average |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,303±$74 8% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,375±$59Highest about the U.S. average |
| Cranston and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,962 59% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$5,103Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±7.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cranston and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cranston and Putnam 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 | #33 of 38 in RI | #128 of 149 in CT | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | West Warwick | Putnam School District | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | West Warwick High School | Putnam High School | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0 |
9.5Lowest |
15.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.