Compare towns
Little Compton vs Melville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Little Compton has the most homeowners (93.8%).
Melville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.9%).
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 | Little Compton | Melville |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 3,584Highest |
1,631Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+21.9%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 60.3±3.7Highest 49% above RI |
28.8±1.8Lowest 29% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest RI: 18.8% |
31.6%±5.3Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Age 65+ | 39.5%±7.3Highest RI: 18.7% |
1%±3.2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60%Highest RI: 37.7% |
59.5%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.1Lowest RI: 8.3% |
23.1%±8.2Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $134,750±$36kHighest 53% above RI |
$102,266±$22kLowest 16% above RI |
| Little Compton and Melville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $783,400±$82k 94% above RI |
— |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,724±$118 103% above RI |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,696 25% below RI |
— |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.1%±36Highest RI: 48% |
59.8%±20.7Lowest RI: 48% |
| Little Compton and Melville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Highest RI: 11.2% |
1.6%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest RI: 63.6% |
4.6%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 7 yrs newer than RI |
1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 32% above RI |
14 minLowest 44% below RI |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.9Highest RI: 13% |
2%±2.7Lowest RI: 13% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #5 of 38 in RI | — |
| School district | Little Compton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — |
| 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.