Compare towns
Bristol vs Central Falls vs Smithfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most expensive homes ($485k median).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Bristol | Central Falls | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,220Lowest |
22,701Highest |
22,233 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+16.6%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+3.2% RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 43±2.2Highest 6% above RI |
32.5±2.3Lowest 20% below RI |
41.8±2.6 about the RI average |
| Bristol and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±1.9Lowest RI: 18.8% |
26.1%±3.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
16.9%±2.4 RI: 18.8% |
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2Highest RI: 18.7% |
10.7%±2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
21.1%±2.1 RI: 18.7% |
| Bristol and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6%Highest RI: 37.7% |
10.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
40% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.6%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
16.7%±0.9 RI: 8.3% |
| Bristol and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,764±$8k 11% above RI |
$49,285±$8kLowest 44% below RI |
$102,077±$8kHighest 16% above RI |
| Smithfield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,000±$25kHighest 20% above RI |
$352,100±$30kLowest 13% below RI |
$446,400±$12k 10% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,579±$118Highest 18% above RI |
$1,200±$75 11% below RI |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,393Highest 10% above RI |
$3,744Lowest 24% below RI |
$5,207 6% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.1Lowest RI: 48% |
56.7%±8.2 RI: 48% |
57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48% |
| Smithfield and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% RI: 11.2% |
24.6%Highest RI: 11.2% |
6.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1% RI: 63.6% |
25.6%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
81.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 2 yrs newer than RI |
1944Lowest 18 yrs older than RI |
1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the RI average |
27 minHighest 7% above RI |
25 minLowest 4% below RI |
| Work from home | 11.2%±2.7 RI: 13% |
5.2%±2Lowest RI: 13% |
14%±3.1Highest RI: 13% |
| Smithfield and Bristol 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 | #20 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Bristol Warren | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Mt. Hope High School | Central Falls Sr High | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
14.6Highest |
11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.