Compare towns
Hampton vs Sheldon vs Smithville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampton has the most renters (21.6% rent).
Sheldon has the most people working from home (13%).
Smithville has the oldest housing (typical home built 1977).
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 | Hampton | Sheldon | Smithville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,145Lowest |
2,267Highest |
1,525 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±14.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43.1±3.2Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Smithville and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,796±$8k 9% below U.S. |
$78,533±$25kHighest about the U.S. average |
$70,433±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,800±$10kLowest 50% below U.S. |
$272,400±$61kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$173,200±$42k 48% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,264±$375 11% below U.S. |
$1,286±$379Highest 9% below U.S. |
$889±$186Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,007Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$3,578 15% above U.S. |
$4,254Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±25.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±31.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithville and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.8%±8.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sheldon and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.

