Compare towns
Columbia vs Coventry vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Coventry has the most homeowners (90.7%).
Exeter has the most expensive homes ($509k median).
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 | Columbia | Coventry | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,300Lowest |
12,326Highest |
7,195 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.3±10.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
45.4±3.8 17% above U.S. |
37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Columbia and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Coventry and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Columbia and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $127,000±$30kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$108,213±$5kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$111,250±$30k 38% above U.S. |
| Columbia and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$330,000±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$509,200±$43kHighest 53% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $966±$304Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,232±$330 13% below U.S. |
$1,317±$307Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,228Lowest 68% above U.S. |
$5,284 69% above U.S. |
$5,881Highest 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.6%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.7%±23.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Columbia and Exeter 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 | #114 of 149 in CT | #41 of 149 in CT | #14 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Columbia School District | Coventry School District | Exeter-West Greenwich |
| High school in town | None in town | Coventry High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.