Compare towns
Johnston vs Providence vs Upton
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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,835 |
191,767Highest |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton 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% |
20.1%±1 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Johnston and Upton 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% |
53.5%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% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,866±$6k 14% above U.S. |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,500±$13kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$362,200±$8k 9% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$132 10% below U.S. |
$1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Providence and Johnston 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% 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% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton 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% |
3.2%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. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 38 in RI | #36 of 38 in RI | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Johnston | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Johnston Senior High | Classical High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
17.2Highest |
11.2 |
| 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.