Compare towns
Providence vs Willimantic vs Windham vs North Providence
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 people working from home (14.3%).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% 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 | Willimantic | Windham | North Providence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
18,096Lowest |
23,961 |
34,293 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.8±0.5 16% below U.S. |
31.3±2.7Lowest 20% below U.S. |
33.7±1.9 13% below U.S. |
42.1±1.9Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Willimantic and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.6%±0.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Willimantic and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,119±$3k 16% below U.S. |
$45,962±$7kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$55,736±$5k 31% below U.S. |
$83,756±$6kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$8kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$190,900±$17kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$209,800±$9k 37% below U.S. |
$355,900±$12k 7% above U.S. |
| 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 about the U.S. average |
$1,063±$68Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,107±$69 22% below U.S. |
$1,405±$64 about the U.S. average |
| 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 42% above U.S. |
$4,678 50% above U.S. |
$4,633 49% above U.S. |
$4,843Highest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.7%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 20.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
23.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
63.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #143 of 149 in CT | #26 of 38 in RI |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | North Providence · Excel Academy Rhode Island |
| High school in town | Classical High School | — | Windham High School | North Providence High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
12.8 |
| 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.