Compare towns
Johnston vs Providence vs Warwick
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Warwick has the most affordable homes ($355k median).
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 | Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,835Lowest |
191,767Highest |
83,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% RI: +4.3% |
+7.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+0.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5Highest 10% above RI |
32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
44.3±1 9% above RI |
| Johnston and Warwick 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%±1Highest RI: 18.8% |
17.6%±1.1 RI: 18.8% |
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±2.6Highest RI: 18.7% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
21.6%±1.2 RI: 18.7% |
| Johnston and Warwick 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%Highest RI: 37.7% |
33.7% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.6 RI: 8.3% |
14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,866±$6kHighest 5% above RI |
$68,119±$3kLowest 22% below RI |
$88,708±$6k about the RI average |
| Johnston and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,500±$13k 12% below RI |
$362,200±$8kHighest 10% below RI |
$354,600±$5kLowest 12% below RI |
| Providence and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$132Lowest 5% below RI |
$1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI |
$1,363±$76 about the RI average |
| Providence and Warwick 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 |
$4,616Highest 6% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±8.7Lowest RI: 48% |
48%±2.8 RI: 48% |
53.1%±6.1Highest RI: 48% |
| Warwick and Providence 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% |
7.6%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Highest RI: 63.6% |
41.4%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
73.3% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 6 yrs newer than RI |
1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
1961 1 yr older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 7% below RI |
25 minHighest about the RI average |
25 min 4% below RI |
| Work from home | 9.9%±2.3Lowest RI: 13% |
14.3%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
12.4%±1.2 RI: 13% |
| Providence and Warwick 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 | #28 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Johnston | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Warwick |
| High school in town | Johnston Senior High | Classical High School | Pilgrim High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
17.2Highest |
10.5 |
| 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.