Compare towns
Coventry vs Needham vs Smithfield vs West Warwick
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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Smithfield has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
West Warwick has the most renters (43% rent).
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 | Smithfield | West Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
32,459 |
22,233Lowest |
31,173 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±1.1Highest 13% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.8±1.5 10% above U.S. |
| Coventry and Needham 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield and West Warwick 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% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8k 28% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$77,608±$7kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,200±$11k 7% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12k 34% above U.S. |
$330,800±$12kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155 15% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,303±$74 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,099 63% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
$4,962Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithfield and Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
57%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 38 in RI | #19 of 282 in MA | #8 of 38 in RI | #33 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Coventry | — | Smithfield | West Warwick |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | — | Smithfield High School | West Warwick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
— | 11.8Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| 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.