Compare towns
Providence vs Smithfield vs Windsor Locks
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).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k 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 | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 191,767Highest |
22,233 |
12,579Lowest |
| 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. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
| Smithfield and Windsor Locks 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% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Providence and Windsor Locks 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% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield and Windsor Locks 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% |
28.6%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% |
5.9%±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. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
| Smithfield and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$8k 9% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
| Providence and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,418 42% above U.S. |
$5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Smithfield 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% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Providence 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 | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Smithfield | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Classical High School | Smithfield High School | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.2Highest |
11.8 |
8.9Lowest |
| 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.