Compare towns
Providence vs North Providence
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 renters (58.6% rent).
North Providence has the most homeowners (63.9%).
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 | North Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
34,293Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+6.3%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
42.1±1.9Highest 4% above RI |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1Highest RI: 18.8% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest 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+ | 11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
20.9%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
36.9%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.4%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
6.2%±1.4Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $68,119±$3kLowest 22% below RI |
$83,756±$6kHighest 5% below RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$8kHighest 10% below RI |
$355,900±$12kLowest 12% 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 | $1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI |
$1,405±$64Lowest 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 | $4,418Lowest 10% below RI |
$4,843Highest about the RI average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8Highest RI: 48% |
42.7%±6.2Lowest 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 | 20.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
9.3%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
63.9%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
1970Highest 8 yrs newer 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% |
12.4%±2.5Lowest 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 | #36 of 38 in RI | #26 of 38 in RI |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island |
| High school in town | Classical High School | North Providence High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.