Compare towns
Griswold 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
Griswold has the most affordable homes ($276k median).
Johnston has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Griswold | Johnston | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,530Lowest |
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 | 48.1±3.9Highest 24% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Griswold and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Griswold and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±3.5Lowest 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+ | 19.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest 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 | $78,719±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
$91,866±$6k 14% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Smithfield and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,900±$42kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$355,500±$13k 7% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65 17% below U.S. |
$1,275±$132Highest 10% below U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Johnston and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,628 48% above U.S. |
$4,614Lowest 48% above U.S. |
$5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Griswold and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 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 | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Smithfield and Johnston 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 | #118 of 149 in CT | #32 of 38 in RI | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Griswold School District | Johnston | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | Johnston Senior High | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
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.