Compare towns
Cumberland vs Johnston vs Preston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cumberland has the most people working from home (14.8%).
Johnston has the most affordable homes ($356k median).
Preston has the most homeowners (91.7%).
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 | Cumberland | Johnston | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 36,820Highest |
29,835 |
4,821Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.5±1.2Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Preston and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Cumberland and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Johnston and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,522±$8kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$91,866±$6kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
| Cumberland and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,000±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$355,500±$13kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$109 about the U.S. average |
$1,275±$132Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,870Highest 56% above U.S. |
$4,614Lowest 48% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Preston and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cumberland and Preston 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 | #18 of 38 in RI | #32 of 38 in RI | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland | Johnston | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Cumberland High School | Johnston Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
10.3Lowest |
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| 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.