What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ledyard has the most kids (27.5% under 18).

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.

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

Measure	Ledyard	Smithfield
People
Population	15,433Lowest	22,233Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+3.2% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37.1±1.4Lowest 5% below U.S.	41.8±2.6Highest 7% above U.S.
Kids under 18	27.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%	16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Smithfield and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,975±$10kHighest 34% above U.S.	$102,077±$8kLowest 26% above U.S.
	Ledyard 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±$27kLowest about the U.S. average	$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,629±$247Highest 15% above U.S.	$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,371Highest 104% above U.S.	$5,207Lowest 67% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Smithfield and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	81.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 16% below U.S.	25 minHighest 7% below U.S.
Work from home	9.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Smithfield and Ledyard 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	#99 of 149 in CT	#8 of 38 in RI
School district	Ledyard School District	Smithfield
High school in town	Ledyard High School	Smithfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.5Lowest	11.8Highest
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.