Compare towns
Exeter vs Lancaster 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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
North Smithfield has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
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 | Lancaster | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,195Lowest |
8,606 |
12,708Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Smithfield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$30k 38% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$108,866±$12kLowest 35% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $509,200±$43k 53% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$457,200±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,317±$307 7% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,282±$531Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,881 89% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$5,219Lowest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Lancaster 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.2%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #14 of 38 in RI | #145 of 282 in MA | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Exeter-West Greenwich | Nashoba | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| 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.