Compare towns
Bristol vs Exeter vs Cumberland
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 renters (33.9% rent).
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Exeter | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,220 |
7,195Lowest |
36,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+0.5% RI: +4.3% |
+8.7%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 43±2.2 6% above RI |
37.7±5.9Lowest 7% below RI |
43.5±1.2Highest 7% above RI |
| Cumberland and Bristol 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%±4.7 RI: 18.8% |
23.4%±2.4Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Cumberland and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2Highest RI: 18.7% |
18.2%±3.8Lowest RI: 18.7% |
18.9%±1.7 RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6%Highest RI: 37.7% |
46.1% RI: 37.7% |
44.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.6%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3% |
11.1%±6.3 RI: 8.3% |
3.1%±0.7Lowest 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±$30k 27% above RI |
$117,522±$8kHighest 34% above RI |
| Cumberland and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,000±$25k 20% above RI |
$509,200±$43kHighest 26% above RI |
$431,000±$15kLowest 7% 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 |
$1,379±$109 about the RI average |
| Bristol and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,393 10% above RI |
$5,881Highest 20% above RI |
$4,870Lowest about the RI average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.1Lowest RI: 48% |
91%±26.7Highest RI: 48% |
47.9%±9.2 RI: 48% |
| Below poverty line | 6.5% RI: 11.2% |
12.8%Highest RI: 11.2% |
3.9%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
80.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
76.3% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 2 yrs newer than RI |
1987Highest 25 yrs newer than RI |
1972 10 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the RI average |
22 minLowest 12% below RI |
26 minHighest 3% above RI |
| Work from home | 11.2%±2.7Lowest RI: 13% |
17.2%±6.1Highest RI: 13% |
14.8%±2.4 RI: 13% |
| Exeter and Cumberland 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 | #18 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Bristol Warren | Exeter-West Greenwich | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland |
| High school in town | Mt. Hope High School | None in town | Cumberland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | 13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.