Compare towns
Central Falls vs Chaplin 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
Central Falls has the most renters (74.4% rent).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
North Providence has the most expensive 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 | Central Falls | Chaplin | North Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,701 |
2,070Lowest |
34,293Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
43.7±4.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.1±1.9 8% above U.S. |
| Chaplin and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$97,846±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$83,756±$6k 4% above U.S. |
| Chaplin and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$355,900±$12kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| North Providence and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,405±$64 about the U.S. average |
| Chaplin and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$4,524 45% above U.S. |
$4,843Highest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.7%±6.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chaplin and North Providence 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 | #38 of 38 in RI | — | #26 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island |
| High school in town | Central Falls Sr High | Parish Hill High School | North Providence High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
7.5Lowest |
12.8 |
| 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.