What stands out worked out from the figures below

Providence has the most renters (58.6% rent).

Cumberland has the most homeowners (76.3%).

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	Providence	Cumberland
People
Population	191,767Highest	36,820Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.2%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+8.7%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI	43.5±1.2Highest 7% above RI
Kids under 18	20.1%±1Lowest RI: 18.8%	23.4%±2.4Highest RI: 18.8%
	Cumberland 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 RI: 18.7%	18.9%±1.7Highest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.6%Lowest RI: 37.7%	44.8%Highest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3%	3.1%±0.7Lowest RI: 8.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,119±$3kLowest 22% below RI	$117,522±$8kHighest 34% above RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$362,200±$8kLowest 10% below RI	$431,000±$15kHighest 7% above RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI	$1,379±$109Lowest about the RI average
	Providence and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,418Lowest 10% below RI	$4,870Highest about the RI average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48%±2.8Highest RI: 48%	47.9%±9.2Lowest RI: 48%
	Providence and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	20.7%Highest RI: 11.2%	3.9%Lowest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	41.4%Lowest RI: 63.6%	76.3%Highest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI	1972Highest 10 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the RI average	26 minHighest 3% above RI
Work from home	14.3%±1.2Lowest RI: 13%	14.8%±2.4Highest RI: 13%
	Cumberland and 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	#18 of 38 in RI
School district	MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative	Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland
High school in town	Classical High School	Cumberland High School
Students per teacherat that high school	17.2Highest	13.6Lowest
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.