Compare towns
Johnston vs Richmond vs Providence
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).
Richmond has the highest household income ($125k).
Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Richmond | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,835 |
8,142Lowest |
191,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+4% RI: +4.3% |
+7.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5Highest 10% above RI |
42.7±4.1 5% above RI |
32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
| Johnston and Richmond 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% |
22%±4.8Highest RI: 18.8% |
20.1%±1 RI: 18.8% |
| Richmond 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% |
15.7%±3.2 RI: 18.7% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
49.5%Highest RI: 37.7% |
34.6% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.6Lowest RI: 8.3% |
7.1%±2.9 RI: 8.3% |
14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,866±$6k 5% above RI |
$124,653±$27kHighest 42% above RI |
$68,119±$3kLowest 22% below RI |
| Richmond and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,500±$13kLowest 12% below RI |
$435,800±$22kHighest 8% above RI |
$362,200±$8k 10% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$132Lowest 5% below RI |
$1,580±$777Highest 18% above RI |
$1,408±$42 5% above RI |
| Richmond and Providence 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 |
$6,362Highest 30% above RI |
$4,418Lowest 10% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±8.7 RI: 48% |
0%±42.9Lowest RI: 48% |
48%±2.8Highest RI: 48% |
| Providence and Johnston 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% |
3.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
20.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% RI: 63.6% |
96.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
41.4%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 6 yrs newer than RI |
1985Highest 23 yrs newer than RI |
1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 7% below RI |
34 minHighest 33% above RI |
25 min about the RI average |
| Work from home | 9.9%±2.3Lowest RI: 13% |
11%±3.8 RI: 13% |
14.3%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
| Providence and Richmond 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 | #16 of 38 in RI | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Johnston | Chariho | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | Johnston Senior High | Chariho High School | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
12.7 |
17.2Highest |
| 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.