Compare towns
Coventry vs Lincoln 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).
Lincoln has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Lincoln | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
22,864 |
22,233Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+6.7%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+3.2% RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 44±1.1Highest 8% above RI |
43.7±2.2 8% above RI |
41.8±2.6Lowest about the RI average |
| Coventry and Lincoln 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% |
21.5%±3Highest RI: 18.8% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Lincoln 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 RI: 18.7% |
24%±2.7Highest RI: 18.7% |
21.1%±2.1 RI: 18.7% |
| Lincoln 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%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
45.9%Highest RI: 37.7% |
40% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2Lowest RI: 8.3% |
5.8%±1.8 RI: 8.3% |
16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8k 17% above RI |
$104,821±$15kHighest 19% above RI |
$102,077±$8kLowest 16% above RI |
| Lincoln 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 |
$450,600±$17kHighest 11% above RI |
$446,400±$12k 10% above RI |
| Lincoln and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155 10% below RI |
$1,468±$152Highest 9% above RI |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
| Lincoln and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,099 4% above RI |
$4,751Lowest 3% below RI |
$5,207Highest 6% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1 RI: 48% |
40.4%±9.8Lowest RI: 48% |
57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48% |
| 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%Highest RI: 11.2% |
7.4%Highest RI: 11.2% |
6.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest RI: 63.6% |
72.1%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
81.6% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 11 yrs newer than RI |
1970Lowest 8 yrs newer than RI |
1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the RI average |
24 minLowest 5% below RI |
25 min 4% below RI |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2Lowest RI: 13% |
13.3%±3.4 RI: 13% |
14%±3.1Highest RI: 13% |
| Smithfield and Lincoln 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 | #21 of 38 in RI | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Coventry | Davies Career and Tech · Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | Lincoln Senior High School | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
14.7Highest |
11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.