What stands out worked out from the figures below

Johnston has the oldest population (median age 44.5).

Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).

Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Mansfield
People
Population	29,835Highest	25,358Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S.	21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S.
Kids under 18	17.5%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	22.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,866±$6kHighest 14% above U.S.	$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$355,500±$13kHighest 7% above U.S.	$335,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average
	Johnston and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,275±$132Lowest 10% below U.S.	$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,614Lowest 48% above U.S.	$5,727Highest 84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 11% below U.S.	21 minLowest 22% below U.S.
Work from home	9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#32 of 38 in RI	#45 of 149 in CT
School district	Johnston	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town	Johnston Senior High	E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	11.8Highest
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.