Compare towns
Glocester vs Providence vs Smithfield vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Glocester has the most homeowners (91%).
Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Smithfield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Scituate has the most expensive homes ($449k 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 | Glocester | Providence | Smithfield | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,221Lowest |
191,767Highest |
22,233 |
10,517 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% RI: +4.3% |
+7.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+3.2% RI: +4.3% |
+0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 50.8±4.3Highest 25% above RI |
32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
41.8±2.6 about the RI average |
49.9±4 23% above RI |
| Glocester and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.3 RI: 18.8% |
20.1%±1Highest RI: 18.8% |
16.9%±2.4 RI: 18.8% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Providence and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±3.4 RI: 18.7% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
21.1%±2.1 RI: 18.7% |
25.2%±4.3Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Scituate and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7% RI: 37.7% |
34.6%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
40%Highest RI: 37.7% |
34.7% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 RI: 8.3% |
14.4%±0.8 RI: 8.3% |
16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,508±$7kHighest 29% above RI |
$68,119±$3kLowest 22% below RI |
$102,077±$8k 16% above RI |
$112,315±$23k 28% above RI |
| Glocester and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,500±$28k about the RI average |
$362,200±$8kLowest 10% below RI |
$446,400±$12k 10% above RI |
$449,300±$26kHighest 11% above RI |
| Scituate and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,417±$627 6% above RI |
$1,408±$42 5% above RI |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
$1,489±$251Highest 11% above RI |
| Scituate and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,248 7% above RI |
$4,418Lowest 10% below RI |
$5,207 6% above RI |
$5,265Highest 7% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±24Highest RI: 48% |
48%±2.8Lowest RI: 48% |
57.1%±17.7 RI: 48% |
59.6%±25.9 RI: 48% |
| Glocester and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
20.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
6.2% RI: 11.2% |
5% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91%Highest RI: 63.6% |
41.4%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
81.6% RI: 63.6% |
87.3% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 13 yrs newer than RI |
1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI |
1966 4 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 35% above RI |
25 min about the RI average |
25 minLowest 4% below RI |
31 min 20% above RI |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.7Lowest RI: 13% |
14.3%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
14%±3.1 RI: 13% |
13.3%±5.1 RI: 13% |
| Providence 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 | #12 of 38 in RI | #36 of 38 in RI | #8 of 38 in RI | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster-Glocester · Glocester | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Smithfield | Scituate |
| High school in town | Ponaganset High School | Classical High School | Smithfield High School | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
17.2Highest |
11.8 |
10.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.