Compare towns
Franklin vs Smithfield vs Norwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franklin has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (14%).
Norwich has the most renters (46.2% rent).
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 | Franklin | Smithfield | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,004Lowest |
22,233 |
39,973Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±4.3 4% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Highest 7% above U.S. |
38.5±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Smithfield and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Franklin and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,000±$10kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$65,024±$5kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Franklin and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,200±$20k about the U.S. average |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$242,300±$11kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $767±$529Lowest 46% below U.S. |
$1,016±$241 28% below U.S. |
$1,253±$68Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Norwich and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,934Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
$4,703 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.5%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.2%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithfield and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #8 of 38 in RI | #133 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Franklin School District | Smithfield | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Smithfield High School | Norwich Free Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.