What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bristol has the most renters (33.9% rent).

Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bristol	Exeter
People
Population	22,220Highest	7,195Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+0.5%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	43±2.2Highest 6% above RI	37.7±5.9Lowest 7% below RI
	Bristol and Exeter 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%	19.7%±4.7Highest RI: 18.8%
Age 65+	22.9%±2Highest RI: 18.7%	18.2%±3.8Lowest RI: 18.7%
	Bristol and Exeter 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%	46.1%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	18.6%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3%	11.1%±6.3Lowest RI: 8.3%
	Bristol and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,764±$8kLowest 11% above RI	$111,250±$30kHighest 27% above RI
	Exeter 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±$25kLowest 20% above RI	$509,200±$43kHighest 26% above RI
	Exeter and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,579±$118Highest 18% above RI	$1,317±$307Lowest about the RI average
	Bristol and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,393Lowest 10% above RI	$5,881Highest 20% above RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.9%±8.1Lowest RI: 48%	91%±26.7Highest RI: 48%
Below poverty line	6.5%Lowest RI: 11.2%	12.8%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	66.1%Lowest RI: 63.6%	80.3%Highest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 2 yrs newer than RI	1987Highest 25 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest about the RI average	22 minLowest 12% below RI
Work from home	11.2%±2.7Lowest RI: 13%	17.2%±6.1Highest RI: 13%
	Exeter 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	#14 of 38 in RI
School district	Bristol Warren	Exeter-West Greenwich
High school in town	Mt. Hope High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.