What stands out worked out from the figures below

Johnston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).

Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).

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	Johnston	Blackstone
People
Population	29,835Highest	9,255Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S.	43.2±1.7Lowest 11% above U.S.
	Johnston and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.5%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.8%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Blackstone and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Johnston and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	31.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,866±$6kLowest 14% above U.S.	$94,191±$21kHighest 17% above U.S.
	Blackstone and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$355,500±$13kLowest 7% above U.S.	$404,400±$34kHighest 22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,275±$132Highest 10% below U.S.	$1,189±$85Lowest 16% below U.S.
	Johnston and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,614Lowest 48% above U.S.	$5,703Highest 83% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Blackstone and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S.	1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 11% below U.S.	34 minHighest 28% above U.S.
Work from home	9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#32 of 38 in RI	#207 of 282 in MA
School district	Johnston	Blackstone-Millville
High school in town	Johnston Senior High	Blackstone Millville RHS
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	13.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.