Compare towns
Bristol vs Upton vs North Providence
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
North Providence has the most affordable homes ($356k 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.
| Measure | Bristol | Upton | North Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,220 |
8,189Lowest |
34,293Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±2.2 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
42.1±1.9Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bristol and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,764±$8k 21% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$83,756±$6kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,000±$25k 46% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$355,900±$12kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,579±$118Highest 12% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,405±$64 about the U.S. average |
| Bristol and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,393 73% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,843Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.7%±6.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #20 of 38 in RI | #46 of 282 in MA | #26 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Bristol Warren | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island |
| High school in town | Mt. Hope High School | Blackstone Valley | North Providence High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
11.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.