Compare towns
Providence vs Central Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
Towns like ProvidenceWarwick
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Providence has the most people working from home (14.3%).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Providence | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
22,701Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+16.6%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 32.8±0.5Highest 19% below RI |
32.5±2.3Lowest 20% below RI |
| Providence and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1Lowest RI: 18.8% |
26.1%±3.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Age 65+ | 11.6%±0.7Highest RI: 18.7% |
10.7%±2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Providence and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Highest RI: 37.7% |
10.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $68,119±$3kHighest 22% below RI |
$49,285±$8kLowest 44% below RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$8kHighest 10% below RI |
$352,100±$30kLowest 13% below RI |
| Providence and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI |
$1,200±$75Lowest 11% below RI |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,418Highest 10% below RI |
$3,744Lowest 24% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8Lowest RI: 48% |
56.7%±8.2Highest RI: 48% |
| Central Falls and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 20.7%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
24.6%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4%Highest RI: 63.6% |
25.6%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
1944Highest 18 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the RI average |
27 minHighest 7% above RI |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
5.2%±2Lowest RI: 13% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #36 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Classical High School | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
14.6Lowest |
| 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.