Compare towns
North Providence 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
North Providence has the most homeowners (63.9%).
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 | North Providence | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 34,293Lowest |
191,767Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+7.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 42.1±1.9Highest 4% above RI |
32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
20.1%±1Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Providence and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest RI: 37.7% |
34.6%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.4Lowest RI: 8.3% |
14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $83,756±$6kHighest 5% below RI |
$68,119±$3kLowest 22% below RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,900±$12kLowest 12% below RI |
$362,200±$8kHighest 10% below RI |
| Providence and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,405±$64Lowest 5% above RI |
$1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI |
| Providence and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,843Highest about the RI average |
$4,418Lowest 10% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.7%±6.2Lowest RI: 48% |
48%±2.8Highest RI: 48% |
| Providence and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
20.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.9%Highest RI: 63.6% |
41.4%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 8 yrs newer than RI |
1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 7% above RI |
25 minLowest about the RI average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±2.5Lowest RI: 13% |
14.3%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
| Providence and North Providence 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 | #26 of 38 in RI | #36 of 38 in RI |
| School district | North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative |
| High school in town | North Providence High | Classical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
17.2Highest |
| 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.