Compare towns
West Warwick vs Windsor Locks 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
West Warwick has the most renters (43% rent).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Cranston has the most expensive 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 | West Warwick | Windsor Locks | Plainfield | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,173 |
12,579Lowest |
15,141 |
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±1.5Highest 10% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
| West Warwick and Windsor Locks 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%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cranston and Plainfield 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% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Warwick and Windsor Locks 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% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%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% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cranston and Windsor Locks 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. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$90,206±$4kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Cranston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $330,800±$12k about the U.S. average |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,303±$74 8% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,375±$59 about the U.S. average |
| Windsor Locks and Cranston 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. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$5,103Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±7.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks 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 | #33 of 38 in RI | #109 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | West Warwick | Windsor Locks School District | Plainfield School District | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | West Warwick High School | Windsor Locks High School | Plainfield High School | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0 |
8.9Lowest |
10.3 |
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.