Compare towns
West Warwick vs Woonsocket 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
West Warwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
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 | Woonsocket | Cranston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,173Lowest |
43,521 |
83,250Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+5% RI: +4.3% |
+3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 42.8±1.5Highest 5% above RI |
35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
39.6±0.9 about the RI average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
19.6%±1.4 RI: 18.8% |
| Age 65+ | 20%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.7% |
16.8%±1.1 RI: 18.7% |
| West Warwick and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4% RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
36.4%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±1.3 RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
6.3%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
| 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 12% below RI |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$90,206±$4kHighest about the RI average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $330,800±$12k 18% below RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$378,300±$7kHighest 6% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,303±$74 about the RI average |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,375±$59Highest about the RI 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 about the RI average |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$5,103Highest 4% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±7.8Lowest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4 RI: 48% |
47.3%±6Highest RI: 48% |
| Cranston and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
18.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
10.2% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57% RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
67.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 6 yrs newer than RI |
1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI |
1958 4 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the RI average |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
24 minLowest 5% below RI |
| Work from home | 7.2%±2 RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
13%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #33 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI | #27 of 38 in RI |
| School district | West Warwick | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston |
| High school in town | West Warwick High School | Woonsocket High School | Cranston High School West |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Lowest |
15.2 |
15.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.