Compare towns
Coventry vs Lawrence 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 most affordable homes ($356k median).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Lawrence | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 35,907 |
88,736Highest |
22,233Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±1.1Highest 13% above U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
41.8±2.6 7% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$60,433±$3kLowest 25% 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±$11kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Smithfield and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155 15% below U.S. |
$1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,099 63% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lawrence 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% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Smithfield and Coventry 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 | #278 of 282 in MA | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Coventry | Lawrence | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | Lawrence High School | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
13.6Highest |
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.