Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Virginia ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

B−Colonial BeachSafer than 48% of U.S. towns B−SmithfieldSafer than 48% of U.S. towns

Schools

C+Colonial BeachBetter than 39% of districts in the state A−SmithfieldBetter than 80% of districts in the state

Health

DColonial BeachHealthier than 7% of U.S. towns BSmithfieldHealthier than 59% of U.S. towns

5Colonial Beach

14Smithfield

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 255 towns #57#210 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 255 towns #189#67 Lowest depressionHealth · 255 towns #229#122 Highest incomeIncome · 255 towns #210#105 Most activeHealth · 255 towns #242#139 Fewest smokersHealth · 255 towns #240#142 HealthiestHealth · 254 towns #244#149 Shortest commuteGetting around · 255 towns #246#154

Left end = #1 in Virginia. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Colonial Beach’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $460 more a month in Smithfield

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Colonial Beach$1,950/mo

Typical home $325K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $620/mo · Housing →

Smithfield$2,400/mo

Typical home $407K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.80% · or rent about $1,195/mo · Housing →

The difference: $460 a month, about $5,500 a year, between Smithfield and Colonial Beach.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

Colonial BeachSmithfield

Snow a year12″3″

January low29°F 32°F

July high88°F 87°F

Growing season (days)204d 238d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)51st 34th

Outdoors & history

Colonial BeachSmithfield

Trails0 mi 11 mi

Conserved land0.8%3.6%

Settled1892 1752

National Register places2 7

Archive photos24 18

Famous people born here3 12

Community

Colonial BeachSmithfield

Library hours a week32 hrs 46 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

91 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Colonial BeachVA SmithfieldVA

Colonial Beach ↔ Smithfield91 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Virginia average

Colonial BeachSmithfield

People

Population 3,966Lowest 8,834Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10.3%Highest VA: +7.9% +5.5%Lowest VA: +7.9%

Median age 46±10.5Lowest 18% above VA 46.3±3.4Highest 19% above VA

Smithfield and Colonial Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 21.1%±5.2Highest VA: 21.7% 18.3%±3.1Lowest VA: 21.7%

Colonial Beach and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 24.2%±5.3Highest VA: 16.7% 18.6%±2.6Lowest VA: 16.7%

Colonial Beach and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 28.8%Lowest VA: 42.2% 36.9%Highest VA: 42.2%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.1%±1.1Lowest VA: 6.9% 7.4%±2.8Highest VA: 6.9%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $60,513±$9kLowest 35% below VA $113,158±$13kHighest 21% above VA

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $268,200±$20kLowest 30% below VA $374,900±$18kHighest about the VA average

Rentmedian gross, monthly $620±$459Lowest 61% below VA $1,195±$150Highest 24% below VA

Smithfield and Colonial Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,431Lowest 13% below VA $2,991Highest 7% above VA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 54.2%±22.4Lowest VA: 48.5% 54.4%±15Highest VA: 48.5%

Smithfield and Colonial Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 24.4%Highest VA: 9.9% 5.4%Lowest VA: 9.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 79.9%Lowest VA: 67.3% 82.3%Highest VA: 67.3%

Typical home builtmedian year 1979Lowest 5 yrs older than VA 1992Highest 8 yrs newer than VA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 40 minHighest 47% above VA 28 minLowest about the VA average

Work from home 10.8%±6.1Lowest VA: 18.3% 15.2%±5.3Highest VA: 18.3%

Smithfield and Colonial Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 10.1%Lowest 11.7%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 41.3 miHighest 14.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.42Lowest 1.22Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Washington (5%)Newport News (23%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SmithfieldFew work in Colonial Beach

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.8%Lowest 3.6%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miLowest 10.7 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 1.0 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 6Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 96.0Highest 32.1Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #146 of 219 in VA #112 of 219 in VA

School district Colonial Beach Public SchoolsIsle of Wight County Public Schools

High school in town Colonial Beach HighNone in town

Students per teacherat that high school 20.5 —

Virginia average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Colonial Beach neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Colonial Beach’s Town Square.

Smithfield neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Smithfield’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Colonial Beach

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Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Virginia towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Colonial Beach vs Smithfield

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Smithfield places higher on 14 of 19 VA lists

A typical home costs $460 more a month in Smithfield

What daily life feels like in each

91 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Colonial Beach and Smithfield

Towns like Colonial Beach

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