What stands out worked out from the figures below

Smithfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).

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.

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

Measure	Smithfield	Coventry
People
Population	22,233Lowest	35,907Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Highest RI: +4.3%	+1.9%Lowest RI: +4.3%
Median age	41.8±2.6Lowest about the RI average	44±1.1Highest 8% above RI
	Coventry and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.9%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8%	18.2%±1.8Highest RI: 18.8%
	Coventry and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.1%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7%	19.2%±1.6Lowest RI: 18.7%
	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 RI: 37.7%	31.2%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3%	5.5%±1.2Lowest RI: 8.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,077±$8kLowest 16% above RI	$102,946±$8kHighest 17% above RI
	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 10% above RI	$356,200±$11kLowest 12% below RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI	$1,206±$155Highest 10% below RI
	Coventry and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,207Highest 6% above RI	$5,099Lowest 4% above RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48%	51.5%±11.1Lowest RI: 48%
	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 RI: 11.2%	7.4%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.6%Lowest RI: 63.6%	82%Highest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI	1973Lowest 11 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 4% below RI	26 minHighest about the RI average
Work from home	14%±3.1Highest RI: 13%	11.3%±2.2Lowest RI: 13%
	Smithfield and Coventry 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	#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 Our Story	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.