I commute from PVD to Groton daily. It's really not bad at all; 50 minutes on a bad day, and 45 is standard to exit 87.

Being closer would be nice, but the city has its perks. But it's totally dependent on your rental budget and location. Wouldn't recommend Elmwood. West side, N Prov, East side are all pretty cool and have some great areas, but rent can get pretty up there, especially on the east side (note: not East Providence, the 𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑜𝑓 Providence)