Compare towns
Cumberland vs Salem vs Smithfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cumberland has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).
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 | Salem | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 36,820 |
44,795Highest |
22,233Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.5±1.2Highest 12% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±2.6 7% above U.S. |
| 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%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,522±$8kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
| Cumberland and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,000±$15kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12k 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$109 about the U.S. average |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,870Lowest 56% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithfield and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #18 of 38 in RI | #248 of 282 in MA | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland | Salem | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Cumberland High School | Salem High | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
9.8Lowest |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.