Compare towns
Coventry vs Gardner vs Smithfield
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 highest household income ($103k).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Smithfield has the most expensive homes ($446k 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 | Coventry | Gardner | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
21,148Lowest |
22,233 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±1.1Highest 13% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Coventry and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gardner and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
| 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±$11k 7% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Coventry and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,099 63% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Smithfield and Gardner 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Coventry | Gardner | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | Gardner High | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
13.5Highest |
11.8Lowest |
| 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.