Compare towns
Smithfield vs Bristol vs Johnston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Smithfield has the most people working from home (14%).
Bristol has the most renters (33.9% rent).
Johnston 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 | Bristol | Johnston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,233 |
22,220Lowest |
29,835Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
-2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+2.8% RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.6Lowest about the RI average |
43±2.2 6% above RI |
44.5±2.5Highest 10% above RI |
| Johnston and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±2.4 RI: 18.8% |
12.9%±1.9Lowest RI: 18.8% |
17.5%±2.4Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Johnston and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±2.1Lowest RI: 18.7% |
22.9%±2Highest RI: 18.7% |
22.1%±2.6 RI: 18.7% |
| Bristol and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% RI: 37.7% |
47.6%Highest RI: 37.7% |
28.9%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 16.7%±0.9 RI: 8.3% |
18.6%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3% |
6.1%±1.6Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Bristol and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,077±$8kHighest 16% above RI |
$97,764±$8k 11% above RI |
$91,866±$6kLowest 5% above RI |
| Smithfield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $446,400±$12k 10% above RI |
$485,000±$25kHighest 20% above RI |
$355,500±$13kLowest 12% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI |
$1,579±$118Highest 18% above RI |
$1,275±$132 5% below RI |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,207 6% above RI |
$5,393Highest 10% above RI |
$4,614Lowest 6% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48% |
37.9%±8.1Lowest RI: 48% |
38.1%±8.7 RI: 48% |
| Smithfield and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
6.5% RI: 11.2% |
7.9%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
66.1%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
75.9% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI |
1964Lowest 2 yrs newer than RI |
1968 6 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below RI |
25 minHighest about the RI average |
24 minLowest 7% below RI |
| Work from home | 14%±3.1Highest RI: 13% |
11.2%±2.7 RI: 13% |
9.9%±2.3Lowest RI: 13% |
| Smithfield and Bristol 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 | #20 of 38 in RI | #32 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Smithfield | Bristol Warren | Johnston |
| High school in town | Smithfield High School | Mt. Hope High School | Johnston Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
12.5Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.