Compare towns
Coventry vs Hanson vs Smithfield vs Sterling
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 oldest population (median age 44).
Hanson has the highest household income ($132k).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (14%).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k 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 | Hanson | Smithfield | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
10,660 |
22,233 |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44±1.1Highest 13% above U.S. |
42.8±3 10% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6 7% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Coventry and Hanson 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% |
21.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield and Hanson 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% |
42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8k 28% above U.S. |
$132,200±$10kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,200±$11k 7% above U.S. |
$533,900±$36kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12k 34% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155 15% below U.S. |
$1,821±$860Highest 29% above U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
— |
| Hanson and Coventry 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. |
$6,402Highest 105% above U.S. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanson and Smithfield 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Smithfield and Sterling 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 | #149 of 282 in MA | #8 of 38 in RI | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Coventry | Whitman-Hanson | Smithfield | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | Whitman Hanson Regional | Smithfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
14.7Highest |
11.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.