Compare towns
Johnston vs Pawtucket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Johnston has the most homeowners (75.9%).
Pawtucket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
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 | Pawtucket |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 29,835Lowest |
75,893Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+6.3%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5Highest 10% above RI |
37.1±0.8Lowest 9% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
22.4%±1.6Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±2.6Highest RI: 18.7% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Highest RI: 37.7% |
22.2%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.6Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.6%±0.8Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Johnston and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $91,866±$6kHighest 5% above RI |
$68,310±$4kLowest 22% below RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,500±$13kHighest 12% below RI |
$325,500±$8kLowest 19% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$132Highest 5% below RI |
$1,208±$39Lowest 10% below RI |
| Johnston and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,614Highest 6% below RI |
$4,115Lowest 16% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±8.7Lowest RI: 48% |
45.9%±4.4Highest RI: 48% |
| Pawtucket 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 RI: 11.2% |
13.3%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Highest RI: 63.6% |
50.1%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 6 yrs newer than RI |
1947Lowest 15 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 7% below RI |
26 minHighest about the RI average |
| Work from home | 9.9%±2.3Highest RI: 13% |
9.2%±1.5Lowest RI: 13% |
| Johnston and Pawtucket 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 | #35 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Johnston | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket |
| High school in town | Johnston Senior High | William E. Tolman High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.