What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).

Smithfield has the oldest population (median age 41.8).

Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Mansfield	Smithfield
People
Population	25,358Highest	22,233Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+3.2% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S.	41.8±2.6Highest 7% above U.S.
Kids under 18	9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	16.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	16.7%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S.	$102,077±$8kHighest 26% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$335,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average	$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S.	$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,727Highest 84% above U.S.	$5,207Lowest 67% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	57.1%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Mansfield and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57.3%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	21 minLowest 22% below U.S.	25 minHighest 7% below U.S.
Work from home	28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#45 of 149 in CT	#8 of 38 in RI
School district	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District	Smithfield
High school in town	E. O. Smith High School	Smithfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8	11.8
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.