What stands out worked out from the figures below

North Smithfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).

Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).

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	North Smithfield	Webster
People
Population	12,708Highest	12,228Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S.	37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S.
Kids under 18	19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Webster and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	North Smithfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Webster and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$108,866±$12kHighest 35% above U.S.	$63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S.	$333,100±$14kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,282±$531Highest 9% below U.S.	$1,198±$85Lowest 15% below U.S.
	North Smithfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,219Highest 67% above U.S.	$3,234Lowest 4% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	46.1%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Webster and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	16%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	28 minHighest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	14.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#13 of 38 in RI	#271 of 282 in MA
School district	North Smithfield	—
High school in town	North Smitfield HS	—
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1	—
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.