Compare towns

Providence vs Brooklyn vs North 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

Providence has the most renters (58.6% rent).
Brooklyn has the most homeowners (81.7%).

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.

MeasureProvidenceBrooklynNorth Providence
People
Population
191,767Highest
8,517Lowest
34,293
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+7.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+6.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
32.8±0.5Lowest
16% below U.S.
45.6±2.5Highest
17% above U.S.
42.1±1.9
8% above U.S.
Brooklyn and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
20.1%±1
U.S.: 22%
20.6%±4.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
17.7%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Brooklyn and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
11.6%±0.7Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.6%±2.9
U.S.: 17.2%
20.9%±2.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
North Providence and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
34.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
23.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
36.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
14.4%±0.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.4
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$68,119±$3kLowest
16% below U.S.
$96,207±$15kHighest
19% above U.S.
$83,756±$6k
4% above U.S.
Brooklyn and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$362,200±$8kHighest
9% above U.S.
$315,200±$28kLowest
5% below U.S.
$355,900±$12k
7% above U.S.
Providence and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,408±$42Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,125±$98Lowest
20% below U.S.
$1,405±$64
about the U.S. average
Providence and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,418Lowest
42% above U.S.
$4,538
45% above U.S.
$4,843Highest
55% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
48%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
38.5%±19.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.7%±6.2
U.S.: 51.1%
Providence and North Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
20.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
2.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
9.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
41.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
81.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
63.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1978Highest
2 yrs older than U.S.
1970
10 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
5% below U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
27 minHighest
3% above U.S.
Work from home
14.3%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.7%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.4%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
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 #36 of 38 in RI #113 of 149 in CT #26 of 38 in RI
School district MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative Brooklyn School District North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island
High school in town Classical High School None in town North Providence High
Students per teacherat that high school
17.2Highest
—
12.8Lowest
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.