Compare towns
Smithfield vs Ayer vs Coventry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Smithfield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Ayer has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Coventry has the most affordable homes ($356k 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 | Smithfield | Ayer | Coventry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,233 |
3,098Lowest |
35,907Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.1±6.9 8% above U.S. |
44±1.1Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Coventry and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$74,878±$17kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$102,946±$8kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Coventry and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$444,600±$43k 34% above U.S. |
$356,200±$11kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Smithfield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,240±$169Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,206±$155 15% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
$4,911Lowest 57% above U.S. |
$5,099 63% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±21.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±11.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithfield and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer 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 | #8 of 38 in RI | #113 of 282 in MA | #24 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Smithfield | — | Coventry |
| High school in town | Smithfield High School | — | Coventry High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
— | 12.3Highest |
| 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.