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 (40.2% 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	12,708Lowest	17,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S.	39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average
	North Smithfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.6%±2.9Highest 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%	19.6%±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%	25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.8%±1.6Highest 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.	$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S.	$361,500±$12kLowest 9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,282±$531Highest 9% below U.S.	$1,228±$81Lowest 13% 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.	$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	45.7%±6.7Highest 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%	12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.
Work from home	14.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8%±2.5Lowest 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	Webster
High school in town	North Smitfield HS	Bartlett High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.6Lowest
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.