Compare towns
Middletown vs Central Falls vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middletown has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Bristol has the most homeowners (66.1%).
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 | Middletown | Central Falls | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,832Lowest |
22,701Highest |
22,220 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% RI: +4.3% |
+16.6%Highest RI: +4.3% |
-2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 43.8±2Highest 8% above RI |
32.5±2.3Lowest 20% below RI |
43±2.2 6% above RI |
| Middletown and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.7 RI: 18.8% |
26.1%±3.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
12.9%±1.9Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±2.6 RI: 18.7% |
10.7%±2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
22.9%±2Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Bristol and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4% RI: 37.7% |
10.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
47.6%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±1.6 RI: 8.3% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
18.6%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,948±$6kHighest 16% above RI |
$49,285±$8kLowest 44% below RI |
$97,764±$8k 11% above RI |
| Middletown and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $563,300±$46kHighest 39% above RI |
$352,100±$30kLowest 13% below RI |
$485,000±$25k 20% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,990±$170Highest 48% above RI |
$1,200±$75Lowest 11% below RI |
$1,579±$118 18% above RI |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,153Highest 26% above RI |
$3,744Lowest 24% below RI |
$5,393 10% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±6.3 RI: 48% |
56.7%±8.2Highest RI: 48% |
37.9%±8.1Lowest RI: 48% |
| Central Falls and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.5% RI: 11.2% |
24.6%Highest RI: 11.2% |
6.5%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.9% RI: 63.6% |
25.6%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
66.1%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Highest 7 yrs newer than RI |
1944Lowest 18 yrs older than RI |
1964 2 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 22% below RI |
27 minHighest 7% above RI |
25 min about the RI average |
| Work from home | 10.9%±2.3 RI: 13% |
5.2%±2Lowest RI: 13% |
11.2%±2.7Highest RI: 13% |
| Bristol and Middletown 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 | #23 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI | #20 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Middletown | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | Bristol Warren |
| High school in town | Middletown High School | Central Falls Sr High | Mt. Hope High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.6Highest |
12.5 |
| 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.