Compare towns
Middletown vs Smithfield vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middletown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (14%).
Bristol has the oldest housing (typical home built 1964).
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 | Middletown | Smithfield | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,832Lowest |
22,233Highest |
22,220 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+3.2% RI: +4.3% |
-2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 43.8±2Highest 8% above RI |
41.8±2.6Lowest about the RI average |
43±2.2 6% above RI |
| Middletown and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
16.9%±2.4 RI: 18.8% |
12.9%±1.9Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Middletown and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±2.6 RI: 18.7% |
21.1%±2.1Lowest RI: 18.7% |
22.9%±2Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Bristol and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4% RI: 37.7% |
40%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
47.6%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±1.6Lowest RI: 8.3% |
16.7%±0.9 RI: 8.3% |
18.6%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Bristol and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,948±$6k 16% above RI |
$102,077±$8kHighest 16% above RI |
$97,764±$8kLowest 11% above RI |
| Smithfield and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $563,300±$46kHighest 39% above RI |
$446,400±$12kLowest 10% above RI |
$485,000±$25k 20% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,990±$170Highest 48% above RI |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
$1,579±$118 18% above RI |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,153Highest 26% above RI |
$5,207Lowest 6% above RI |
$5,393 10% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±6.3 RI: 48% |
57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48% |
37.9%±8.1Lowest RI: 48% |
| Smithfield and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.5%Highest RI: 11.2% |
6.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
6.5% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.9%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
81.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
66.1% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 7 yrs newer than RI |
1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI |
1964Lowest 2 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 22% below RI |
25 min 4% below RI |
25 minHighest about the RI average |
| Work from home | 10.9%±2.3Lowest RI: 13% |
14%±3.1Highest RI: 13% |
11.2%±2.7 RI: 13% |
| Smithfield and Bristol 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 | #23 of 38 in RI | #8 of 38 in RI | #20 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Middletown | Smithfield | Bristol Warren |
| High school in town | Middletown High School | Smithfield High School | Mt. Hope High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.8 |
12.5Highest |
| 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.