What stands out worked out from the figures below

Johnston has the most homeowners (75.9%).

Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Johnston	Woonsocket
People
Population	29,835Lowest	43,521Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+5%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	44.5±2.5Highest 10% above RI	35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI
Kids under 18	17.5%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8%	23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8%
Age 65+	22.1%±2.6Highest RI: 18.7%	14.7%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.9%Highest RI: 37.7%	19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.6Highest RI: 8.3%	5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3%
	Johnston and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,866±$6kHighest 5% above RI	$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$355,500±$13kHighest 12% below RI	$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,275±$132Highest 5% below RI	$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI
	Johnston and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,614Highest 6% below RI	$3,960Lowest 19% below RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.1%±8.7Lowest RI: 48%	46.7%±5.4Highest RI: 48%
	Woonsocket and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.9%Lowest RI: 11.2%	18.7%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Highest RI: 63.6%	37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Highest 6 yrs newer than RI	1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 7% below RI	29 minHighest 15% above RI
Work from home	9.9%±2.3Highest RI: 13%	6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13%
	Johnston and Woonsocket 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	#37 of 38 in RI
School district	Johnston	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town	Johnston Senior High	Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	15.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.