Compare towns
Bristol vs Warwick vs North Providence
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most expensive homes ($485k median).
Warwick has the most homeowners (73.3%).
North Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
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 | Warwick | North Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,220Lowest |
83,175Highest |
34,293 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+0.2% RI: +4.3% |
+6.3%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 43±2.2 6% above RI |
44.3±1Highest 9% above RI |
42.1±1.9Lowest 4% above RI |
| Warwick 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% |
17.6%±1.1 RI: 18.8% |
17.7%±2.3Highest RI: 18.8% |
| North Providence and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2Highest RI: 18.7% |
21.6%±1.2 RI: 18.7% |
20.9%±2.1Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Bristol and Warwick 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% |
33.7%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
36.9% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.6%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
6.2%±1.4 RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,764±$8kHighest 11% above RI |
$88,708±$6k about the RI average |
$83,756±$6kLowest 5% below RI |
| Bristol and Warwick 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 |
$354,600±$5kLowest 12% below RI |
$355,900±$12k 12% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,579±$118Highest 18% above RI |
$1,363±$76Lowest about the RI average |
$1,405±$64 5% above RI |
| Bristol and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,393Highest 10% above RI |
$4,616Lowest 6% below RI |
$4,843 about the RI average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.1Lowest RI: 48% |
53.1%±6.1Highest RI: 48% |
42.7%±6.2 RI: 48% |
| Warwick 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%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
7.6% RI: 11.2% |
9.3%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1% RI: 63.6% |
73.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
63.9%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 2 yrs newer than RI |
1961Lowest 1 yr older than RI |
1970Highest 8 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the RI average |
25 minLowest 4% below RI |
27 minHighest 7% above RI |
| Work from home | 11.2%±2.7Lowest RI: 13% |
12.4%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
12.4%±2.5Highest RI: 13% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #20 of 38 in RI | #28 of 38 in RI | #26 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Bristol Warren | Warwick | North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island |
| High school in town | Mt. Hope High School | Pilgrim High School | North Providence High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
10.5Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.