Compare towns
North Smithfield vs Townsend vs Lincoln
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 most people working from home (14.2%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Lincoln has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Townsend | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,708 |
9,100Lowest |
22,864Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43.7±2.2 12% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lincoln and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lincoln 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% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lincoln and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,866±$12k 35% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$104,821±$15kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Townsend and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$450,600±$17k 35% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Lincoln 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. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,468±$152 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,219 67% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,751Lowest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.4%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Lincoln 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| North Smithfield and Lincoln 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #21 of 38 in RI |
| School district | North Smithfield | North Middlesex | Davies Career and Tech · Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy |
| High school in town | North Smitfield HS | North Middlesex Regional | Lincoln Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
13.1 |
14.7Highest |
| 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.