Compare towns
Providence vs Smithfield vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
Towns like ProvidenceWarwick
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Providence has the most renters (58.6% rent).
Smithfield has the highest household income ($102k).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
22,233 |
15,141Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
41.8±2.6Highest 7% above U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
| Smithfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Providence and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$102,077±$8kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$8k 9% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,418 42% above U.S. |
$5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Smithfield | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Classical High School | Smithfield High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
11.8 |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.