Compare towns
Coventry vs Bristol 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
Coventry has the most affordable homes ($356k median).
Bristol has the most renters (33.9% rent).
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 | Coventry | Bristol | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
22,220Lowest |
22,233 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% RI: +4.3% |
-2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+3.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 44±1.1Highest 8% above RI |
43±2.2 6% above RI |
41.8±2.6Lowest about the RI average |
| Coventry and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.8Highest RI: 18.8% |
12.9%±1.9Lowest RI: 18.8% |
16.9%±2.4 RI: 18.8% |
| Coventry and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±1.6Lowest RI: 18.7% |
22.9%±2Highest 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+ | 31.2%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
47.6%Highest RI: 37.7% |
40% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2Lowest RI: 8.3% |
18.6%±1.4Highest 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 | $102,946±$8kHighest 17% above RI |
$97,764±$8kLowest 11% above RI |
$102,077±$8k 16% above RI |
| Coventry and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,200±$11kLowest 12% below RI |
$485,000±$25kHighest 20% above RI |
$446,400±$12k 10% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155 10% below RI |
$1,579±$118Highest 18% above RI |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,099Lowest 4% above RI |
$5,393Highest 10% above RI |
$5,207 6% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1 RI: 48% |
37.9%±8.1Lowest RI: 48% |
57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48% |
| Smithfield and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest RI: 11.2% |
6.5% RI: 11.2% |
6.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest RI: 63.6% |
66.1%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
81.6% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 11 yrs newer than RI |
1964Lowest 2 yrs newer than RI |
1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the RI average |
25 min about the RI average |
25 minLowest 4% below RI |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2 RI: 13% |
11.2%±2.7Lowest RI: 13% |
14%±3.1Highest RI: 13% |
| Smithfield and Coventry 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 | #24 of 38 in RI | #20 of 38 in RI | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Coventry | Bristol Warren | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | Mt. Hope High School | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
12.5Highest |
11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.