Compare towns
Bristol vs Exeter 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 renters (33.9% rent).
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Smithfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,220 |
7,195Lowest |
22,233Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+0.5% RI: +4.3% |
+3.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 43±2.2Highest 6% above RI |
37.7±5.9Lowest 7% 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% |
19.7%±4.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
16.9%±2.4 RI: 18.8% |
| Exeter and Smithfield 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% |
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% |
46.1% RI: 37.7% |
40%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.6%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3% |
11.1%±6.3Lowest 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±$8kLowest 11% above RI |
$111,250±$30kHighest 27% above RI |
$102,077±$8k 16% above RI |
| Exeter and Smithfield 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 |
$446,400±$12kLowest 10% 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±$307 about the RI average |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
| Bristol and Exeter 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 |
$5,207Lowest 6% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.1Lowest RI: 48% |
91%±26.7Highest RI: 48% |
57.1%±17.7 RI: 48% |
| Exeter and Smithfield 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% |
12.8%Highest RI: 11.2% |
6.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
80.3% RI: 63.6% |
81.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 2 yrs newer than RI |
1987Highest 25 yrs newer than RI |
1976 14 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the RI average |
22 minLowest 12% below RI |
25 min 4% below RI |
| Work from home | 11.2%±2.7Lowest RI: 13% |
17.2%±6.1Highest RI: 13% |
14%±3.1 RI: 13% |
| Exeter and Smithfield 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 | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Bristol Warren | Exeter-West Greenwich | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Mt. Hope High School | None in town | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 11.8Lowest |
| 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.