Compare towns
Coventry 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
Coventry has the most affordable homes ($356k median).
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 | Coventry | Exeter | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
7,195Lowest |
22,233 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% RI: +4.3% |
+0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+3.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 44±1.1Highest 8% above RI |
37.7±5.9Lowest 7% below RI |
41.8±2.6 about the RI average |
| Coventry and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.8 RI: 18.8% |
19.7%±4.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Exeter and Coventry 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% |
21.1%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
| 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% |
40% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2Lowest RI: 8.3% |
11.1%±6.3 RI: 8.3% |
16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Smithfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8k 17% above RI |
$111,250±$30kHighest 27% above RI |
$102,077±$8kLowest 16% above RI |
| Exeter and Coventry 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 |
$446,400±$12k 10% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155 10% below RI |
$1,317±$307Highest about the RI average |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
| Exeter and Coventry 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 |
$5,207 6% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1Lowest 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 | 7.4% RI: 11.2% |
12.8%Highest RI: 11.2% |
6.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest RI: 63.6% |
80.3%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
81.6% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 11 yrs newer than RI |
1987Highest 25 yrs newer than RI |
1976 14 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the RI average |
22 minLowest 12% below RI |
25 min 4% below RI |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2Lowest 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 | #24 of 38 in RI | #14 of 38 in RI | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Coventry | Exeter-West Greenwich | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | None in town | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 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.