Compare towns
Johnston vs Mendon vs 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
Johnston has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Providence has the most renters (58.6% 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.
| Measure | Johnston | Mendon | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,835 |
6,325Lowest |
191,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Johnston and Mendon 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% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1 U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Providence 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% |
14.7%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,866±$6k 14% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,500±$13kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$362,200±$8k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$132Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,408±$42 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,614 48% above U.S. |
$7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and 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 | #32 of 38 in RI | #210 of 282 in MA | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Johnston | Mendon-Upton | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | Johnston Senior High | None in town | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 17.2Highest |
| 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.