What stands out worked out from the figures below

Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).

Amesbury has the most people working from home (17.4%).

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	Smithfield	Amesbury
People
Population	22,233Highest	17,403Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S.	43.7±1.7Highest 12% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Amesbury and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Smithfield and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,077±$8kLowest 26% above U.S.	$103,554±$12kHighest 28% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$446,400±$12kLowest 34% above U.S.	$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S.	$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,207Lowest 67% above U.S.	$7,360Highest 136% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.1%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Amesbury and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 7% below U.S.	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.
Work from home	14%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Amesbury and Smithfield 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	#8 of 38 in RI	#151 of 282 in MA
School district	Smithfield	Amesbury
High school in town	Smithfield High School	Amesbury High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	10.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.