Compare towns
Coventry vs Preston vs Smithfield vs Sterling
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Preston has the highest household income ($117k).
Smithfield has the most expensive homes ($446k median).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
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 | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
4,821 |
22,233 |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44±1.1 13% above U.S. |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6 7% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Coventry 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%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest 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% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest 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. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
| Preston 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±$11k 7% above U.S. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155 15% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
— |
| Preston and Coventry 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. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
$5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithfield and Preston 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer 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. |
35 minHighest 34% 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% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Smithfield and Sterling 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 | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Coventry | Preston School District | Smithfield | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | None in town | Smithfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 11.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.