Compare towns
Richmond vs Smithfield
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 most kids (22% under 18).
Smithfield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 8,142Lowest |
22,233Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 42.7±4.1Highest 5% above RI |
41.8±2.6Lowest about the RI average |
| Richmond and Smithfield 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% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Richmond and Smithfield 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% |
21.1%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest RI: 37.7% |
40%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $124,653±$27kHighest 42% above RI |
$102,077±$8kLowest 16% above RI |
| Richmond and Smithfield 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 |
$446,400±$12kHighest 10% above RI |
| Smithfield and Richmond 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 |
$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
| Richmond and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,362Highest 30% above RI |
$5,207Lowest 6% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.9Lowest RI: 48% |
57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48% |
| Smithfield and Richmond 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% |
6.2%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
81.6%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 23 yrs newer than RI |
1976Lowest 14 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 33% above RI |
25 minLowest 4% below RI |
| Work from home | 11%±3.8Lowest RI: 13% |
14%±3.1Highest RI: 13% |
| Smithfield and Richmond 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 | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Chariho | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Chariho High School | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
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.