What stands out worked out from the figures below

Jamestown has the most expensive homes ($842k median).

Smithfield has the most affordable homes ($446k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Jamestown	Smithfield
People
Population	5,534Lowest	22,233Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+3.2%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	58.2±2.6Highest 43% above RI	41.8±2.6Lowest about the RI average
Kids under 18	14.9%±4.1Lowest RI: 18.8%	16.9%±2.4Highest RI: 18.8%
	Smithfield and Jamestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	38.4%±7Highest RI: 18.7%	21.1%±2.1Lowest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	69.1%Highest RI: 37.7%	40%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±1.4Lowest RI: 8.3%	16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$140,625±$42kHighest 60% above RI	$102,077±$8kLowest 16% above RI
	Jamestown and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$842,400±$59kHighest 108% above RI	$446,400±$12kLowest 10% above RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,629±$916Highest 21% above RI	$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI
	Jamestown and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,047Lowest 3% above RI	$5,207Highest 6% above RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.7%±27.8Lowest RI: 48%	57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48%
	Smithfield and Jamestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.5%Lowest RI: 11.2%	6.2%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.8%Highest RI: 63.6%	81.6%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 13 yrs newer than RI	1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the RI average	25 minLowest 4% below RI
Work from home	20.6%±7.2Highest RI: 13%	14%±3.1Lowest RI: 13%
	Jamestown 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	#2 of 38 in RI	#8 of 38 in RI
School district	Jamestown	Smithfield
High school in town	None in town	Smithfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.