Compare towns
Coventry vs Wakefield vs Smithfield vs Johnston
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 homeowners (82%).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Smithfield has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
Johnston has the shortest commute (24 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 | Wakefield | Smithfield | Johnston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
27,793 |
22,233Lowest |
29,835 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±1.1 13% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Johnston 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% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Coventry 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% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Johnston 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% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8k 28% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$91,866±$6kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,200±$11k 7% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12k 34% above U.S. |
$355,500±$13kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155 15% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,275±$132 10% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,099 63% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
$4,614Lowest 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 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 |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 38 in RI | #179 of 282 in MA | #8 of 38 in RI | #32 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Coventry | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Smithfield | Johnston |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Smithfield High School | Johnston Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
10.7 |
11.8 |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.