What stands out worked out from the figures below

Smithfield has the most affordable homes ($446k median).

Mansfield has the most people working from home (20%).

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	Mansfield
People
Population	22,233Lowest	23,931Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.8±2.6Highest 7% above U.S.	41.4±1.3Lowest 6% above U.S.
	Smithfield and Mansfield 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%	22.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	51.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,077±$8kLowest 26% above U.S.	$125,273±$15kHighest 55% above U.S.
	Mansfield 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.	$603,500±$28kHighest 81% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S.	$1,803±$147Highest 28% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,207Lowest 67% above U.S.	$7,226Highest 132% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	38.2%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Smithfield and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1980Highest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 7% below U.S.	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.
Work from home	14%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	20%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Mansfield 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	#60 of 282 in MA
School district	Smithfield	Mansfield
High school in town	Smithfield High School	Mansfield High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	11.1Lowest
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.