Boston-Cambridge-Newton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Providence-Warwick
Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Opportunity
60 · Top 40%
vs69 · Top 25%
Growth
41 · Bottom 36%
vs51 · Top 50%
Climate
65 · Bottom 43%
vs63 · Bottom 37%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 14%
vs86 · Top 9%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 28%
vs67 · Bottom 14%
Access
99 · Top 7%
vs98 · Top 7%
Economic stability
77 · Top 24%
vs93 · Top 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Providence-Warwick | Boston-Cambridge-Newton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,684,071 | 4,953,354 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $87,040 | $115,863 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,322 | $63,282 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,061/sq mi | 1,421/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $422,500 | $646,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,307 | $2,023 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.2% | 61.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.3% | 51.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 8.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,164 | 11,731 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 12.2% | 21.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.5" | 44.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 32.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 39.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Providence-Warwick
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Providence-Warwick
72
Your Score
70
Area Score
Boston-Cambridge-Newton
75
Your Score
73
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metro Area · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology