Compare towns
Coventry vs Preston vs Smithfield vs Scituate
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).
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (14%).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 49.9).
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 | Preston | Smithfield | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
4,821Lowest |
22,233 |
10,517 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±1.1 13% above U.S. |
46.2±7 19% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Preston 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% |
18.7%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Preston 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Preston 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% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8k 28% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
| Preston and Scituate 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. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12k 34% above U.S. |
$449,300±$26kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Scituate 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 15% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1k about the U.S. average |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Preston 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. |
$4,749Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
$5,265Highest 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9Highest 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Smithfield and Scituate 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | #8 of 38 in RI | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Coventry | Preston School District | Smithfield | Scituate |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | None in town | Smithfield High School | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 11.8 |
10.8Lowest |
| 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.