Compare towns
Exeter vs Killingly vs Smithfield vs North 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
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Killingly has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).
North Smithfield has the oldest population (median age 45.5).
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 | Exeter | Killingly | Smithfield | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,195Lowest |
17,867 |
22,233Highest |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
41.8±2.6 7% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Killingly and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $111,250±$30kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$108,866±$12k 35% above U.S. |
| Exeter and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $509,200±$43kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$446,400±$12k 34% above U.S. |
$457,200±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Exeter and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,317±$307Highest 7% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141 26% below U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,282±$531 9% below U.S. |
| Exeter and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,881Highest 89% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
$5,219 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.2%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and North Smithfield 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 | #14 of 38 in RI | #136 of 149 in CT | #8 of 38 in RI | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Exeter-West Greenwich | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Smithfield | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Killingly High School | Smithfield High School | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.8 |
12.1Highest |
| 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.