What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ira has the most expensive homes ($273k median).

Smithville has the most people working from home (4.4%).

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	Ira	Smithville
People
Population	381Lowest	1,525Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-5.6% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S.	43.1±3.2Lowest 11% above U.S.
Kids under 18	10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	16.6%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Smithville and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	19.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Smithville and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,827±$5kHighest 11% below U.S.	$70,433±$7kLowest 13% below U.S.
	Ira and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,900±$18kHighest 18% below U.S.	$173,200±$42kLowest 48% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$942±$52Highest 33% below U.S.	$889±$186Lowest 37% below U.S.
	Ira and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,146Lowest 33% above U.S.	$4,254Highest 36% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54.9%±31.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Smithville and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	11.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	81.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 6% above U.S.	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.
Work from home	2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	4.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Smithville and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.