Compare towns
Providence vs Suffield vs Johnston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
Towns like ProvidenceWarwick
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Providence has the most renters (58.6% rent).
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
Johnston has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Suffield | Johnston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
15,702Lowest |
29,835 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Providence and Johnston 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% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Johnston and Suffield 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% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$91,866±$6k 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$8k 9% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$355,500±$13kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$42 about the U.S. average |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,275±$132Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Suffield and 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. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$4,614 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suffield and 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #32 of 38 in RI |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Suffield School District | Johnston |
| High school in town | Classical High School | Suffield High School | Johnston Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
10.9 |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.