Compare towns
Coventry vs Exeter vs North 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).
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
North Smithfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
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 | Exeter | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
7,195Lowest |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% RI: +4.3% |
+0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+5.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 44±1.1 8% above RI |
37.7±5.9Lowest 7% below RI |
45.5±3.9Highest 12% above RI |
| North Smithfield and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.8Lowest RI: 18.8% |
19.7%±4.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
19.2%±3.2 RI: 18.8% |
| Exeter and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±1.6 RI: 18.7% |
18.2%±3.8Lowest RI: 18.7% |
20.9%±2.8Highest RI: 18.7% |
| North Smithfield and Coventry 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% |
46.1%Highest RI: 37.7% |
33.8% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2 RI: 8.3% |
11.1%±6.3Highest RI: 8.3% |
4.4%±1.3Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Exeter and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8kLowest 17% above RI |
$111,250±$30kHighest 27% above RI |
$108,866±$12k 24% above RI |
| Exeter and North 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 |
$509,200±$43kHighest 26% above RI |
$457,200±$21k 13% above RI |
| Exeter and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155Lowest 10% below RI |
$1,317±$307Highest about the RI average |
$1,282±$531 4% below RI |
| Exeter and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,099Lowest 4% above RI |
$5,881Highest 20% above RI |
$5,219 7% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1 RI: 48% |
91%±26.7Highest RI: 48% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest RI: 48% |
| Below poverty line | 7.4% RI: 11.2% |
12.8%Highest RI: 11.2% |
4.8%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest RI: 63.6% |
80.3% RI: 63.6% |
77.9%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 11 yrs newer than RI |
1987Highest 25 yrs newer than RI |
1972Lowest 10 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the RI average |
22 minLowest 12% below RI |
26 minHighest 4% above RI |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2Lowest RI: 13% |
17.2%±6.1Highest RI: 13% |
14.2%±3.6 RI: 13% |
| Exeter and North 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 | #24 of 38 in RI | #14 of 38 in RI | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Coventry | Exeter-West Greenwich | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | None in town | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| 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.