Town · Rhode Island
Johnston, Rhode Island
Johnston, town, in Providence County, Rhode Island. Johnston had 30,494 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 29,568 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 29,835 (±27). GEOID 4400737720.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
30,494
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 29,568 · ACS 2020-2024: 29,835 ±27
Median household income
$91,866
±$6,226 (90% margin)
Rhode Island: $87,796
Median home value
$355,500
±$13,147 (90% margin)
Rhode Island: $404,200
Median gross rent
$1,275
±$132 (90% margin)
Rhode Island: $1,342
Where is Johnston and what county is it in?
Johnston is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island. It covers 23.5 square miles of land, 1,259 residents per square mile in 2020.
Johnston is in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 6 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Johnston, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 30,494 people lived in Johnston on July 1, 2025, up 2.9% since 2020, faster than Rhode Island (+1.6%). The 2020 Census counted 29,568 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 29,835 (±27).
| Measure | Johnston | Providence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 29,835±27 | 664,854 | +528 |
| Households | 11,675±599 | 259,210 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.50±0.13 | 2.46 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 12,328±641 | 277,740 | no clear change |
Johnston's population since 2000
From 28,195 in 2000 to 30,494 in 2025: up 8.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Johnston as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Johnston?
The median resident of Johnston is 44.5 years old; 17.5% are under 18 and 22.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 74.9%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 13.9%. 9.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Johnston | Providence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.5±2.5 | 38.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.5%±1.9 pts | 20.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.1%±2.3 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Male | 47.5%±2.2 pts | 49.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 13.9%±3.5 pts | 25.6% | +4.9 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 74.9%±4.2 pts | 56.5% | −9.6 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.4%±2.4 pts | 7.0% | +2.6 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.3%±0.7 pts | 4.2% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.9%±2.3 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6%±0.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 9.9%±2.2 pts | 20.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 18.2%±3.6 pts | 32.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.3%±1.5 pts | 4.0% | – |
| With a disability | 15.9%±2.0 pts | 14.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.9%±1.1 pts | 5.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.7%±2.0 pts | 86.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 28.9%±3.8 pts | 32.3% | +5.1 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.1%±2.0 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.6%±1.8 pts | 87.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.3%±0.3 pts | 3.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Johnston earn?
Half of Johnston's 11,675 households earn less than $91,866 a year (±$6,226), against $78,787 in Providence County and $87,796 in Rhode Island. In 2015-2019 the median was $80,149 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $11,717 after inflation. 7.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Johnston | Providence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $91,866±$6,226 | $78,787 | +$11,717 |
| Mean household income | $117,703±$14,268 | $103,330 | – |
| Per capita income | $47,376±$5,065 | $41,523 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 7.9%±2.3 pts | 13.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 9.3%±7.0 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.4%±3.4 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.0%±1.9 pts | 94.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.7%±2.3 pts | 90.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Johnston?
Owners occupy 75.9% of Johnston's occupied homes and renters 24.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $355,500 by its owner (±$13,147). The median renter pays $1,275 a month including utilities, and 29.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Johnston | Providence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $355,500±$13,147 | $373,600 | +$70,717 |
| Median gross rent | $1,275±$132 | $1,312 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 29.7%±8.5 pts | 37.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,045±$140 | $2,152 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 75.9%±3.0 pts | 56.9% | +8.9 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 24.1%±3.0 pts | 43.1% | – |
| Housing units | 12,328±641 | 277,740 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.1%±0.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.0%±3.8 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.5%±3.0 pts | 45.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.0%±1.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.3%±1.0 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 14.4%±3.1 pts | 35.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.3%±1.8 pts | 11.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Johnston building?
Builders took permits for 18 new housing units in Johnston in 2025 (18 in single-family houses), 0.6 per 1,000 residents against 1.6 across Rhode Island.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Johnston work and get to work?
80.2% of Johnston's workers drive alone and 9.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 23.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.4%.
| Measure | Johnston | Providence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.4%±2.9 pts | 65.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.4%±2.3 pts | 6.6% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 80.2%±4.2 pts | 70.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.3%±2.9 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.7%±0.5 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Walked | 0.7%±0.6 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.9%±2.3 pts | 12.3% | +5.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.6 min±1.3 | 25.9 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Johnston?
5 census tracts lie mostly in Johnston (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $65,759 (Tract 125) to $102,229 (Tract 122).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 122Providence County | 7,320 | $102,229 |
| Tract 124.01Providence County | 7,318 | $93,838 |
| Tract 123Providence County | 7,312 | $100,686 |
| Tract 125Providence County | 5,131 | $65,759 |
| Tract 124.02Providence County | 2,754 | $76,299 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Johnston) · Census block assignment files
How does Johnston compare with other places in Rhode Island?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Johnston is the 352nd-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 6th-most populous of 31 in Rhode Island.
Johnston ranks 42nd of 57 places in Rhode Island with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 6th | 31 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 11th | 39 |
| Residents per square mile | 24th | 57 |
| Median household income | 42nd | 57 |
| Per capita income | 35th | 57 |
| Median home value | 47th | 56 |
| Median gross rent | 35th | 51 |
| Poverty rate | 18th | 45 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48th | 57 |
| Median age | 27th | 57 |
| Owner-occupied share | 28th | 56 |
| Work from home | 43rd | 49 |
| Travel time to work | 46th | 57 |
Johnston's figures with every place in Rhode Island (CSV)
Every place in Rhode Island, sortable · Compare Johnston with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Johnston?
10 of the 57 figures for Johnston on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Johnston are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.