Compare towns
Exeter vs Upton vs Sturbridge vs North Kingstown
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 youngest population (median age 37.7).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
North Kingstown has the most renters (25.3% rent).
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 | Upton | Sturbridge | North Kingstown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,195Lowest |
8,189 |
9,960 |
27,859Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
46.2±2.4 19% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
17.8%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Kingstown and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and North Kingstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$30kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
$126,293±$14k 56% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$543,700±$26k 63% above U.S. |
| Upton and North Kingstown 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. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$1,268±$187 10% below U.S. |
| Exeter and North Kingstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,881Lowest 89% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
$6,396 105% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.5%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.2%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #4 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Exeter-West Greenwich | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | North Kingstown |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | North Kingstown Sr. High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
7.7Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.