Compare towns
Coventry vs Hardwick vs Ware 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).
Hardwick has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 | Hardwick | Ware | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
2,684Lowest |
10,048 |
22,233 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±1.1 13% above U.S. |
45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Ware 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% |
22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$75,000±$22k 7% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 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. |
$346,700±$67k 4% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,108±$119 22% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Coventry and Hardwick 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. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Hardwick 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% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 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 18% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Smithfield and Ware 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 | #163 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Coventry | Quabbin | Ware | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
11.8 |
| 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.