What stands out worked out from the figures below

Smithfield has the most people working from home (14%).

West Warwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).

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	Smithfield	West Warwick
People
Population	22,233Lowest	31,173Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+6.2%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	41.8±2.6Lowest about the RI average	42.8±1.5Highest 5% above RI
	West Warwick and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.9%±2.4Highest RI: 18.8%	15.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8%
	Smithfield and West Warwick 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%	20%±2.1Lowest RI: 18.7%
	Smithfield and West Warwick 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%	26.4%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	16.7%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3%	5.7%±1.3Lowest RI: 8.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,077±$8kHighest 16% above RI	$77,608±$7kLowest 12% below RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$446,400±$12kHighest 10% above RI	$330,800±$12kLowest 18% below RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,016±$241Lowest 24% below RI	$1,303±$74Highest about the RI average
	West Warwick 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	$4,962Lowest about the RI average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.1%±17.7Highest RI: 48%	43.5%±7.8Lowest RI: 48%
	Smithfield and West Warwick 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%	9.6%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.6%Highest RI: 63.6%	57%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 14 yrs newer than RI	1968Lowest 6 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 4% below RI	25 minHighest about the RI average
Work from home	14%±3.1Highest RI: 13%	7.2%±2Lowest RI: 13%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#8 of 38 in RI	#33 of 38 in RI
School district	Smithfield	West Warwick
High school in town	Smithfield High School	West Warwick High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Lowest	13.0Highest
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.