What stands out worked out from the figures below

Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).

Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Smithfield	Lawrence
People
Population	22,233Lowest	88,736Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.8±2.6Highest 7% above U.S.	32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,077±$8kHighest 26% above U.S.	$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S.	$415,200±$23kLowest 25% above U.S.
	Smithfield and Lawrence 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.	$1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,207Highest 67% above U.S.	$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.1%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lawrence 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%	17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 7% below U.S.	23 minLowest 13% below U.S.
Work from home	14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#8 of 38 in RI	#278 of 282 in MA
School district	Smithfield	Lawrence
High school in town	Smithfield High School	Lawrence High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Lowest	13.6Highest
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.