What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).

Smithfield has the most affordable homes ($446k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hingham	Smithfield
People
Population	24,283Highest	22,233Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.4±2.4Highest 24% above U.S.	41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S.
Kids under 18	23.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22%	16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	26%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	21.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	76.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$178,390±$15kHighest 121% above U.S.	$102,077±$8kLowest 26% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,134,200±$47kHighest 241% above U.S.	$446,400±$12kLowest 34% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,465±$603Highest 74% above U.S.	$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$5,207Lowest 67% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.3%±12Highest U.S.: 51.1%	57.1%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hingham and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976 4 yrs older than U.S.	1976 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 37% above U.S.	25 minLowest 7% below U.S.
Work from home	33.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#14 of 282 in MA	#8 of 38 in RI
School district	Hingham	Smithfield
High school in town	Hingham High	Smithfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	11.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.