What stands out worked out from the figures below

Scituate has the most homeowners (87.3%).

North Smithfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Scituate	North Smithfield
People
Population	10,517Lowest	12,708Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+5.2%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	49.9±4Highest 23% above RI	45.5±3.9Lowest 12% above RI
	Scituate and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.9%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8%	19.2%±3.2Highest RI: 18.8%
	North Smithfield and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.2%±4.3Highest RI: 18.7%	20.9%±2.8Lowest RI: 18.7%
	Scituate and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.7%Highest RI: 37.7%	33.8%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3%	4.4%±1.3Highest RI: 8.3%
	North Smithfield and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$112,315±$23kHighest 28% above RI	$108,866±$12kLowest 24% above RI
	Scituate and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$449,300±$26kLowest 11% above RI	$457,200±$21kHighest 13% above RI
	North Smithfield and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,489±$251Highest 11% above RI	$1,282±$531Lowest 4% below RI
	Scituate and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,265Highest 7% above RI	$5,219Lowest 7% above RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.6%±25.9Highest RI: 48%	33.6%±11.4Lowest RI: 48%
	Scituate and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5%Highest RI: 11.2%	4.8%Lowest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.3%Highest RI: 63.6%	77.9%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 4 yrs newer than RI	1972Highest 10 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 20% above RI	26 minLowest 4% above RI
Work from home	13.3%±5.1Lowest RI: 13%	14.2%±3.6Highest RI: 13%
	North Smithfield and Scituate 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	#17 of 38 in RI	#13 of 38 in RI
School district	Scituate	North Smithfield
High school in town	Scituate High School	North Smitfield HS
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Lowest	12.1Highest
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.