Compare towns
Exeter vs Plainville vs Plainfield 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%).
Plainville has the most renters (32.3% rent).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
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 | Plainville | Plainfield | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,195Lowest |
17,551Highest |
15,141 |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.9 3% below U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Plainville 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% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Smithfield and Plainville 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% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Plainville 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. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below 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. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below 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. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% 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. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$5,219 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 15% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.2%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Exeter-West Greenwich | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Plainfield School District | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainville High School | Plainfield High School | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
10.3Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.