What stands out worked out from the figures below

Coventry has the most affordable homes ($356k median).

Smithfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Coventry	Smithfield
People
Population	35,907Highest	22,233Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.9%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+3.2%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	44±1.1Highest 8% above RI	41.8±2.6Lowest about the RI average
	Coventry and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.2%±1.8Highest RI: 18.8%	16.9%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8%
	Coventry and Smithfield 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%	21.1%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7%
	Smithfield and Coventry 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%	40%Highest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±1.2Lowest RI: 8.3%	16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,946±$8kHighest 17% above RI	$102,077±$8kLowest 16% above RI
	Coventry and Smithfield 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	$446,400±$12kHighest 10% above RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,206±$155Highest 10% below RI	$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI
	Coventry and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,099Lowest 4% above RI	$5,207Highest 6% above RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.5%±11.1Lowest 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%	6.2%Lowest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest RI: 63.6%	81.6%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 11 yrs newer than RI	1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the RI average	25 minLowest 4% below RI
Work from home	11.3%±2.2Lowest RI: 13%	14%±3.1Highest RI: 13%
	Smithfield and Coventry 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	#8 of 38 in RI
School district	Coventry	Smithfield
High school in town	Coventry High School	Smithfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.3Highest	11.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.