Compare towns
Johnston vs Sturbridge vs Brooklyn
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).
Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Brooklyn has the most affordable homes ($315k 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 | Sturbridge | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,835Highest |
9,960 |
8,517Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Brooklyn 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% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Brooklyn 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% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Johnston and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Johnston and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,866±$6kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,500±$13k 7% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$132Highest 10% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Johnston and Sturbridge 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. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$4,538Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sturbridge and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sturbridge and Brooklyn 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Johnston | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | Johnston Senior High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Highest |
7.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.