Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Johnston vs Smithfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooklyn has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Johnston has the most renters (24.1% rent).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Brooklyn | Johnston | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,517Lowest |
29,835Highest |
22,233 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Johnston and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$91,866±$6kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Smithfield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$355,500±$13k 7% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$1,275±$132Highest 10% below U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Johnston and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,538Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,614 48% above U.S. |
$5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithfield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Smithfield and Brooklyn 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 | #113 of 149 in CT | #32 of 38 in RI | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | Johnston | Smithfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Johnston Senior High | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.8Highest |
| 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.