What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).

Cranston has the most affordable 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Windham	Cranston
People
Population	16,038Lowest	83,250Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S.	39.6±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average
	Windham and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	19.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	16.8%±1.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Cranston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Cranston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S.	$90,206±$4kLowest 12% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S.	$378,300±$7kLowest 14% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S.	$1,375±$59Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$5,103Lowest 64% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	47.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windham and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	67.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S.	1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	24 minLowest 8% below U.S.
Work from home	21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#13 of 120 in NH	#27 of 38 in RI
School district	Windham School District	Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston
High school in town	Windham High School	Cranston High School West
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	15.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.