Compare towns
Coventry vs Exeter vs Prospect vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Coventry has the most affordable homes ($330k median).
Exeter has the most expensive homes ($509k median).
Prospect has the most homeowners (93.5%).
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Coventry | Exeter | Prospect | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,326Highest |
7,195 |
9,458 |
5,300Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 45.4±3.8 17% above U.S. |
37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
46.8±3.9 20% above U.S. |
51.3±10.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Columbia and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Prospect and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Columbia and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.5 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 | $108,213±$5kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$111,250±$30k 38% above U.S. |
$126,394±$18k 57% above U.S. |
$127,000±$30kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Columbia and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $330,000±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$509,200±$43kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$355,400±$21k 7% above U.S. |
$361,500±$16k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$330 13% below U.S. |
$1,317±$307 7% below U.S. |
$1,800±$433Highest 27% above U.S. |
$966±$304Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Prospect and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,284 69% above U.S. |
$5,881 89% above U.S. |
$6,504Highest 109% above U.S. |
$5,228Lowest 68% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±23.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.3%±31.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest 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 | 5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±6Highest 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 | #41 of 149 in CT | #14 of 38 in RI | #50 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Coventry School District | Exeter-West Greenwich | Regional School District 16 | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.