Compare towns
Johnston vs Upton vs Providence
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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Providence has the most renters (58.6% rent).
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 | Upton | Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,835 |
8,189Lowest |
191,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,866±$6k 14% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,500±$13kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$362,200±$8k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$132 10% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 38 in RI | #46 of 282 in MA | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Johnston | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | Johnston Senior High | Blackstone Valley | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
11.2 |
17.2Highest |
| 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.