Compare towns
Exeter vs Smithfield vs North Kingstown
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 kids (19.7% under 18).
Smithfield has the most affordable homes ($446k median).
North Kingstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Smithfield | North Kingstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,195Lowest |
22,233 |
27,859Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+3.2% RI: +4.3% |
+4.7%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.9Lowest 7% below RI |
41.8±2.6 about the RI average |
46.2±2.4Highest 14% above RI |
| North Kingstown and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
17.8%±1.7 RI: 18.8% |
| Exeter and North Kingstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.8Lowest RI: 18.7% |
21.1%±2.1 RI: 18.7% |
23%±1.9Highest RI: 18.7% |
| North Kingstown and 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% RI: 37.7% |
40%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
55.6%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±6.3 RI: 8.3% |
16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3% |
6.3%±1.5Lowest 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 |
$102,077±$8kLowest 16% above RI |
$126,293±$14kHighest 44% above RI |
| North Kingstown 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 26% above RI |
$446,400±$12kLowest 10% above RI |
$543,700±$26kHighest 35% above RI |
| North Kingstown and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,317±$307Highest about the RI average |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
$1,268±$187 6% below RI |
| Exeter and North Kingstown 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 |
$5,207Lowest 6% above RI |
$6,396Highest 31% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91%±26.7Highest RI: 48% |
57.1%±17.7 RI: 48% |
42.5%±8.6Lowest 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% |
6.2% RI: 11.2% |
6.1%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% RI: 63.6% |
81.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
74.7%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 25 yrs newer than RI |
1976 14 yrs newer than RI |
1973Lowest 11 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 12% below RI |
25 min 4% below RI |
26 minHighest about the RI average |
| Work from home | 17.2%±6.1Highest RI: 13% |
14%±3.1Lowest RI: 13% |
16.7%±2.4 RI: 13% |
| Exeter and North Kingstown 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 | #8 of 38 in RI | #4 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Exeter-West Greenwich | Smithfield | North Kingstown |
| High school in town | None in town | Smithfield High School | North Kingstown Sr. High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.