Compare towns
Smithfield vs Ayer vs Lincoln
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).
Ayer has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Lincoln has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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.
| Measure | Smithfield | Ayer | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,233 |
3,098Lowest |
22,864Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.1±6.9 8% above U.S. |
43.7±2.2Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Lincoln and Ayer 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% |
20.8%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lincoln and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lincoln and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$74,878±$17kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$104,821±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Lincoln 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±$12k 34% above U.S. |
$444,600±$43kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$450,600±$17kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Lincoln and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,240±$169 12% below U.S. |
$1,468±$152Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Lincoln and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
$4,911 57% above U.S. |
$4,751Lowest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.4%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithfield and Ayer 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% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer 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 | #113 of 282 in MA | #21 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Smithfield | — | Davies Career and Tech · Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy |
| High school in town | Smithfield High School | — | Lincoln Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.