Compare towns
Willimantic vs Cranston vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Cranston has the most expensive homes ($378k median).
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Willimantic | Cranston | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,096 |
83,250Highest |
5,300Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7Lowest 20% below U.S. |
39.6±0.9 about the U.S. average |
51.3±10.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Willimantic and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,962±$7kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$90,206±$4k 12% above U.S. |
$127,000±$30kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,900±$17kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$378,300±$7kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$361,500±$16k 9% above U.S. |
| Cranston and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68 25% below U.S. |
$1,375±$59Highest about the U.S. average |
$966±$304Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678Lowest 50% above U.S. |
$5,103 64% above U.S. |
$5,228Highest 68% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.3%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Willimantic and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #27 of 38 in RI | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | — | Cranston High School West | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.4 |
— |
| 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.