Compare towns
Richmond vs Exeter vs Hope Valley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Richmond has the highest household income ($125k).
Exeter has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Hope Valley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16%).
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 | Richmond | Exeter | Hope Valley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,142Highest |
7,195 |
2,297Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% RI: +4.3% |
+0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+16%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 42.7±4.1Highest 5% above RI |
37.7±5.9Lowest 7% below RI |
41.9±10.6 3% above RI |
| Richmond and Hope Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±4.8Highest RI: 18.8% |
19.7%±4.7 RI: 18.8% |
19.1%±5.2Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Richmond and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±3.2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
18.2%±3.8Highest RI: 18.7% |
15.8%±7 RI: 18.7% |
| Exeter and Hope Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest RI: 37.7% |
46.1% RI: 37.7% |
26.3%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.9 RI: 8.3% |
11.1%±6.3Highest RI: 8.3% |
2.9%±3Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Exeter and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,653±$27kHighest 42% above RI |
$111,250±$30k 27% above RI |
$101,932±$23kLowest 16% above RI |
| Richmond and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $435,800±$22kLowest 8% above RI |
$509,200±$43kHighest 26% above RI |
$447,500±$24k 11% above RI |
| Exeter and Hope Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,580±$777Highest 18% above RI |
$1,317±$307Lowest about the RI average |
— |
| Richmond and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,362 30% above RI |
$5,881Lowest 20% above RI |
$6,448Highest 32% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.9Lowest RI: 48% |
91%±26.7 RI: 48% |
100%±28.1Highest RI: 48% |
| Hope Valley and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
12.8%Highest RI: 11.2% |
9.2% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
80.3%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
91.8% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 23 yrs newer than RI |
1987Highest 25 yrs newer than RI |
1984Lowest 22 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 33% above RI |
22 minLowest 12% below RI |
29 min 12% above RI |
| Work from home | 11%±3.8Lowest RI: 13% |
17.2%±6.1Highest RI: 13% |
15.8%±12 RI: 13% |
| Exeter and Hope Valley 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 | #16 of 38 in RI | #14 of 38 in RI | — |
| School district | Chariho | Exeter-West Greenwich | — |
| High school in town | Chariho High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.