Compare towns
Scituate vs Central Falls vs Johnston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Scituate has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Scituate | Central Falls | Johnston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,517Lowest |
22,701 |
29,835Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+16.6%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+2.8% RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 49.9±4Highest 23% above RI |
32.5±2.3Lowest 20% below RI |
44.5±2.5 10% above RI |
| Scituate and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
26.1%±3.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
17.5%±2.4 RI: 18.8% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.3Highest RI: 18.7% |
10.7%±2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
22.1%±2.6 RI: 18.7% |
| Scituate and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7%Highest RI: 37.7% |
10.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
28.9% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
4.6%±1.7 RI: 8.3% |
6.1%±1.6Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Johnston and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,315±$23kHighest 28% above RI |
$49,285±$8kLowest 44% below RI |
$91,866±$6k 5% above RI |
| Scituate and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $449,300±$26kHighest 11% above RI |
$352,100±$30kLowest 13% below RI |
$355,500±$13k 12% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,489±$251Highest 11% above RI |
$1,200±$75Lowest 11% below RI |
$1,275±$132 5% below RI |
| Scituate and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,265Highest 7% above RI |
$3,744Lowest 24% below RI |
$4,614 6% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.6%±25.9Highest RI: 48% |
56.7%±8.2 RI: 48% |
38.1%±8.7Lowest RI: 48% |
| Scituate and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
24.6%Highest RI: 11.2% |
7.9% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
25.6%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
75.9% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 4 yrs newer than RI |
1944Lowest 18 yrs older than RI |
1968Highest 6 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 20% above RI |
27 min 7% above RI |
24 minLowest 7% below RI |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1Highest RI: 13% |
5.2%±2Lowest RI: 13% |
9.9%±2.3 RI: 13% |
| Scituate and Johnston 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 | #17 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI | #32 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Scituate | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | Johnston |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Central Falls Sr High | Johnston Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8 |
14.6Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.