Compare towns
Johnston vs Providence vs Suffield
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).
Providence has the most renters (58.6% rent).
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
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 | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,835 |
191,767Highest |
15,702Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Providence and Johnston 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% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Johnston and Suffield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,866±$6k 14% above U.S. |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,500±$13kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$362,200±$8k 9% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$132Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,408±$42 about the U.S. average |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
| Suffield and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,614 48% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suffield and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield 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 | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Johnston | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Johnston Senior High | Classical High School | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
17.2Highest |
10.9 |
| 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.