What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bristol has the most expensive homes ($485k median).

Johnston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).

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	Bristol	Johnston
People
Population	22,220Lowest	29,835Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+2.8%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	43±2.2Lowest 6% above RI	44.5±2.5Highest 10% above RI
	Johnston and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12.9%±1.9Lowest RI: 18.8%	17.5%±2.4Highest RI: 18.8%
Age 65+	22.9%±2Highest RI: 18.7%	22.1%±2.6Lowest RI: 18.7%
	Bristol and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.6%Highest RI: 37.7%	28.9%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	18.6%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3%	6.1%±1.6Lowest RI: 8.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,764±$8kHighest 11% above RI	$91,866±$6kLowest 5% above RI
	Bristol and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$485,000±$25kHighest 20% above RI	$355,500±$13kLowest 12% below RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,579±$118Highest 18% above RI	$1,275±$132Lowest 5% below RI
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,393Highest 10% above RI	$4,614Lowest 6% below RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.9%±8.1Lowest RI: 48%	38.1%±8.7Highest RI: 48%
	Johnston and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.5%Lowest RI: 11.2%	7.9%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	66.1%Lowest RI: 63.6%	75.9%Highest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 2 yrs newer than RI	1968Highest 6 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest about the RI average	24 minLowest 7% below RI
Work from home	11.2%±2.7Highest RI: 13%	9.9%±2.3Lowest RI: 13%
	Bristol and Johnston 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	#20 of 38 in RI	#32 of 38 in RI
School district	Bristol Warren	Johnston
High school in town	Mt. Hope High School	Johnston Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Highest	10.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.