What stands out worked out from the figures below

Jamestown has the most homeowners (85.8%).

Newport has the most renters (50.2% rent).

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	Jamestown	Newport
People
Population	5,534Lowest	24,874Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Highest RI: +4.3%	+2%Lowest RI: +4.3%
Median age	58.2±2.6Highest 43% above RI	37.2±2Lowest 8% below RI
Kids under 18	14.9%±4.1Highest RI: 18.8%	13.4%±1.9Lowest RI: 18.8%
	Jamestown and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	38.4%±7Highest RI: 18.7%	22.2%±2.1Lowest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	69.1%Highest RI: 37.7%	57.9%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±1.4Lowest RI: 8.3%	12.7%±1.6Highest RI: 8.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$140,625±$42kHighest 60% above RI	$86,313±$4kLowest about the RI average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$842,400±$59kHighest 108% above RI	$746,900±$44kLowest 85% above RI
	Jamestown and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,629±$916Lowest 21% above RI	$1,698±$92Highest 27% above RI
	Newport and Jamestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,047Lowest 3% above RI	$5,264Highest 7% above RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.7%±27.8Lowest RI: 48%	54.8%±8.1Highest RI: 48%
	Newport and Jamestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.5%Lowest RI: 11.2%	16.5%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.8%Highest RI: 63.6%	49.8%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 13 yrs newer than RI	1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the RI average	19 minLowest 26% below RI
Work from home	20.6%±7.2Highest RI: 13%	18.5%±3.2Lowest RI: 13%
	Jamestown and Newport 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	#2 of 38 in RI	#34 of 38 in RI
School district	Jamestown	Newport
High school in town	None in town	Rogers High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.3
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.