Compare towns
Coventry vs Needham vs Scituate 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).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 49.9).
Smithfield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Needham | Scituate | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
32,459 |
10,517Lowest |
22,233 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±1.1 13% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8k 28% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,200±$11kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$449,300±$26k 35% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12k 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155 15% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,489±$251 5% above U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,099Lowest 63% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,265 69% above U.S. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 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 |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 38 in RI | #19 of 282 in MA | #17 of 38 in RI | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Coventry | — | Scituate | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | — | Scituate High School | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 10.8Lowest |
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.