Compare towns
Johnston vs Preston vs Cumberland
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 most affordable homes ($356k median).
Preston has the most homeowners (91.7%).
Cumberland has the most people working from home (14.8%).
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 | Preston | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,835 |
4,821Lowest |
36,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.5±1.2Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Preston and Johnston 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% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cumberland and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Johnston and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,866±$6kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
$117,522±$8kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Cumberland and Preston 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. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$431,000±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$132Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$1,379±$109 about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Cumberland 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. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
$4,870Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Preston and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cumberland and Preston 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | #18 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Johnston | Preston School District | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland |
| High school in town | Johnston Senior High | None in town | Cumberland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 13.6Highest |
| 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.