Compare towns
Cumberland vs Exeter vs Smithfield vs Central Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cumberland has the highest household income ($118k).
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Cumberland | Exeter | Smithfield | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 36,820Highest |
7,195Lowest |
22,233 |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% RI: +4.3% |
+0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+3.2% RI: +4.3% |
+16.6%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 43.5±1.2Highest 7% above RI |
37.7±5.9 7% below RI |
41.8±2.6 about the RI average |
32.5±2.3Lowest 20% below RI |
| Cumberland and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±2.4 RI: 18.8% |
19.7%±4.7 RI: 18.8% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
26.1%±3.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Central Falls and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±1.7 RI: 18.7% |
18.2%±3.8 RI: 18.7% |
21.1%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
10.7%±2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Smithfield and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% RI: 37.7% |
46.1%Highest RI: 37.7% |
40% RI: 37.7% |
10.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±0.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
11.1%±6.3 RI: 8.3% |
16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3% |
4.6%±1.7 RI: 8.3% |
| Smithfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $117,522±$8kHighest 34% above RI |
$111,250±$30k 27% above RI |
$102,077±$8k 16% above RI |
$49,285±$8kLowest 44% below RI |
| Cumberland and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,000±$15k 7% above RI |
$509,200±$43kHighest 26% above RI |
$446,400±$12k 10% above RI |
$352,100±$30kLowest 13% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$109Highest about the RI average |
$1,317±$307 about the RI average |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
$1,200±$75 11% below RI |
| Cumberland and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,870 about the RI average |
$5,881Highest 20% above RI |
$5,207 6% above RI |
$3,744Lowest 24% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±9.2Lowest RI: 48% |
91%±26.7Highest RI: 48% |
57.1%±17.7 RI: 48% |
56.7%±8.2 RI: 48% |
| Exeter and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
12.8% RI: 11.2% |
6.2% RI: 11.2% |
24.6%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.3% RI: 63.6% |
80.3% RI: 63.6% |
81.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
25.6%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 10 yrs newer than RI |
1987Highest 25 yrs newer than RI |
1976 14 yrs newer than RI |
1944Lowest 18 yrs older than RI |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% above RI |
22 minLowest 12% below RI |
25 min 4% below RI |
27 minHighest 7% above RI |
| Work from home | 14.8%±2.4 RI: 13% |
17.2%±6.1Highest RI: 13% |
14%±3.1 RI: 13% |
5.2%±2Lowest RI: 13% |
| Exeter and Cumberland 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 | #18 of 38 in RI | #14 of 38 in RI | #8 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland | Exeter-West Greenwich | Smithfield | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Cumberland High School | None in town | Smithfield High School | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
— | 11.8Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.