Compare towns
North Smithfield vs Douglas vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Smithfield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 49.9).
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 | North Smithfield | Douglas | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,708Highest |
9,207Lowest |
10,517 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9 17% above U.S. |
44±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Scituate and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Douglas and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,866±$12kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $457,200±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$449,300±$26kLowest 35% above U.S. |
| Douglas and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,282±$531Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,489±$251 5% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,219Lowest 67% above U.S. |
$6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
$5,265 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Douglas and North 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 | #13 of 38 in RI | #177 of 282 in MA | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | North Smithfield | Douglas | Scituate |
| High school in town | North Smitfield HS | Douglas High School | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
7.2Lowest |
10.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.