Compare towns
Providence vs Warwick vs Plainfield vs Johnston
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).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 | Warwick | Plainfield | Johnston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
83,175 |
15,141Lowest |
29,835 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
44.3±1 14% above U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Johnston and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±1.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Providence and Plainfield 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% |
21.6%±1.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Johnston and Warwick 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$88,708±$6k 10% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$91,866±$6kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Johnston and Warwick 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. |
$354,600±$5k 7% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$355,500±$13k 7% above U.S. |
| Providence and Johnston 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 |
$1,363±$76 4% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,275±$132 10% below U.S. |
| Providence and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,418 42% above U.S. |
$4,616Highest 48% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,614 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±6.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Warwick 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% |
7.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Providence and Warwick 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 | #28 of 38 in RI | #131 of 149 in CT | #32 of 38 in RI |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Warwick | Plainfield School District | Johnston |
| High school in town | Classical High School | Pilgrim High School | Plainfield High School | Johnston Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
10.5 |
10.3Lowest |
10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.