Warwick receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Cranston
Warwick
Opportunity
61 · Top 39%
vs61 · Top 40%
Growth
43 · Bottom 37%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
65 · Bottom 33%
vs65 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 33%
vs86 · Top 15%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 41%
vs88 · Top 37%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
66 · Top 37%
vs68 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Cranston | Warwick | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 83,250 | 83,175 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,206 | $88,708 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,258 | $48,016 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,937/sq mi | 2,376/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $378,300 | $354,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,375 | $1,363 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.6% | 73.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.6% | -2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.4% | 33.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.2% | 7.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 54 | 470 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 5.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 3.8% | 32.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.5" | 47.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 1 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 26.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 44.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 24 | 25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.38 | 12.07 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 15.1% | 19.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 34.1% | 37.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 56.7% | 38.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Cranston, RI · Warwick, RI · How this is calculated: methodology