Compare towns
Providence vs Smithfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
Towns like ProvidenceWarwick
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).
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 | Providence | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
22,233Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 32.8±0.5Lowest 19% below RI |
41.8±2.6Highest about the RI average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1Highest RI: 18.8% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Providence and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 11.6%±0.7Lowest RI: 18.7% |
21.1%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
40%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.4%±0.8Lowest RI: 8.3% |
16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $68,119±$3kLowest 22% below RI |
$102,077±$8kHighest 16% above RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$8kLowest 10% below RI |
$446,400±$12kHighest 10% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$42Highest 5% above RI |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,418Lowest 10% below RI |
$5,207Highest 6% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8Lowest RI: 48% |
57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48% |
| Smithfield and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 20.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
6.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
81.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 24 yrs older than RI |
1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the RI average |
25 minLowest 4% below RI |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
14%±3.1Lowest RI: 13% |
| Providence 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 | #36 of 38 in RI | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Classical High School | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
11.8Lowest |
| 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.