Compare towns
Exeter vs Richmond vs Smithfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Richmond has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Smithfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
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 | Richmond | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,195Lowest |
8,142 |
22,233Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+4%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+3.2% RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.9Lowest 7% below RI |
42.7±4.1Highest 5% above RI |
41.8±2.6 about the RI average |
| Richmond 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 RI: 18.8% |
22%±4.8Highest RI: 18.8% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Richmond and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.8 RI: 18.7% |
15.7%±3.2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
21.1%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Smithfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1% RI: 37.7% |
49.5%Highest RI: 37.7% |
40%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±6.3 RI: 8.3% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
16.7%±0.9Highest 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 | $111,250±$30k 27% above RI |
$124,653±$27kHighest 42% above RI |
$102,077±$8kLowest 16% above RI |
| Richmond 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±$43kHighest 26% above RI |
$435,800±$22kLowest 8% above RI |
$446,400±$12k 10% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,317±$307 about the RI average |
$1,580±$777Highest 18% above RI |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
| Richmond and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,881 20% above RI |
$6,362Highest 30% above RI |
$5,207Lowest 6% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91%±26.7Highest RI: 48% |
0%±42.9Lowest RI: 48% |
57.1%±17.7 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 | 12.8%Highest RI: 11.2% |
3.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
6.2% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
96.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
81.6% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 25 yrs newer than RI |
1985 23 yrs newer than RI |
1976Lowest 14 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 12% below RI |
34 minHighest 33% above RI |
25 min 4% below RI |
| Work from home | 17.2%±6.1Highest RI: 13% |
11%±3.8Lowest RI: 13% |
14%±3.1 RI: 13% |
| Exeter and 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 | #16 of 38 in RI | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Exeter-West Greenwich | Chariho | Smithfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Chariho High School | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.