Compare towns
Johnston vs Providence vs Cumberland
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Providence has the most renters (58.6% rent).
Cumberland has the highest household income ($118k).
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 | Providence | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,835Lowest |
191,767Highest |
36,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+7.2% RI: +4.3% |
+8.7%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5Highest 10% above RI |
32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
43.5±1.2 7% above RI |
| Johnston and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
20.1%±1 RI: 18.8% |
23.4%±2.4Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Cumberland 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 RI: 18.7% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
18.9%±1.7 RI: 18.7% |
| Johnston and Cumberland 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 RI: 37.7% |
34.6% RI: 37.7% |
44.8%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.6 RI: 8.3% |
14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
3.1%±0.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,866±$6k 5% above RI |
$68,119±$3kLowest 22% below RI |
$117,522±$8kHighest 34% above RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,500±$13kLowest 12% below RI |
$362,200±$8k 10% below RI |
$431,000±$15kHighest 7% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$132Lowest 5% below RI |
$1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI |
$1,379±$109 about the RI average |
| Providence and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,614 6% below RI |
$4,418Lowest 10% below RI |
$4,870Highest about the RI average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±8.7Lowest RI: 48% |
48%±2.8Highest RI: 48% |
47.9%±9.2 RI: 48% |
| Providence and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% RI: 11.2% |
20.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
3.9%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% RI: 63.6% |
41.4%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
76.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 6 yrs newer than RI |
1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
1972Highest 10 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 7% below RI |
25 min about the RI average |
26 minHighest 3% above RI |
| Work from home | 9.9%±2.3Lowest RI: 13% |
14.3%±1.2 RI: 13% |
14.8%±2.4Highest RI: 13% |
| Cumberland 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 | #36 of 38 in RI | #18 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Johnston | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland |
| High school in town | Johnston Senior High | Classical High School | Cumberland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
17.2Highest |
13.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.