Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Virginia ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

B−SmithfieldSafer than 48% of U.S. towns –BrandermillNot graded

Schools

A−SmithfieldBetter than 80% of districts in the state B−BrandermillBetter than 49% of districts in the state

Health

BSmithfieldHealthier than 59% of U.S. towns A−BrandermillHealthier than 81% of U.S. towns

6Smithfield

13Brandermill

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 255 towns #210#59 Most conserved landOutdoors · 243 towns #144#226 Cheapest rentCost of living · 254 towns #72#134 Most activeHealth · 255 towns #139#79 Fewest smokersHealth · 255 towns #142#85 Most trailsOutdoors · 216 towns #91#45 Shortest commuteGetting around · 255 towns #154#104 HealthiestHealth · 254 towns #149#103

Left end = #1 in Virginia. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Smithfield’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $190 more a month in Smithfield

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Smithfield$2,400/mo

Typical home $407K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.80% · or rent about $1,195/mo · Housing →

Brandermill$2,220/mo

Typical home $376K (Census) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $1,782/mo · Housing →

The difference: $190 a month, about $2,300 a year, between Smithfield and Brandermill.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

SmithfieldBrandermill

Snow a year3″10″

January low32°F —

July high87°F —

Growing season (days)238d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)34th 47th

Outdoors & history

SmithfieldBrandermill

Trails11 mi 12 mi

Conserved land3.6%0.3%

Settled1752 —

National Register places7 —

Archive photos18 —

Famous people born here12 —

Community

SmithfieldBrandermill

Library hours a week46 hrs —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

65 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SmithfieldVA BrandermillVA

Smithfield ↔ Brandermill65 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Virginia average

SmithfieldBrandermill

People

Population 8,834Lowest 13,730Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +5.5%Highest VA: +7.9% +4.2%Lowest VA: +7.9%

Median age 46.3±3.4Highest 19% above VA 42.8±2.1Lowest 10% above VA

Smithfield and Brandermill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 18.3%±3.1Lowest VA: 21.7% 20.4%±3.7Highest VA: 21.7%

Brandermill and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 18.6%±2.6Lowest VA: 16.7% 21.8%±2.2Highest VA: 16.7%

Brandermill and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 36.9%Lowest VA: 42.2% 49.1%Highest VA: 42.2%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.4%±2.8Highest VA: 6.9% 4.2%±1.7Lowest VA: 6.9%

Smithfield and Brandermill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $113,158±$13kHighest 21% above VA $107,396±$8kLowest 15% above VA

Smithfield and Brandermill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $374,900±$18kLowest about the VA average $376,000±$14kHighest about the VA average

Brandermill and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,195±$150Lowest 24% below VA $1,782±$60Highest 13% above VA

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,991Highest 7% above VA $2,944Lowest 6% above VA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 54.4%±15Highest VA: 48.5% 45.6%±8.2Lowest VA: 48.5%

Smithfield and Brandermill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 5.4%Lowest VA: 9.9% 7.8%Highest VA: 9.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 82.3%Highest VA: 67.3% 69.7%Lowest VA: 67.3%

Typical home builtmedian year 1992Highest 8 yrs newer than VA 1987Lowest 3 yrs newer than VA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 28 minHighest about the VA average 26 minLowest 7% below VA

Work from home 15.2%±5.3Lowest VA: 18.3% 20.5%±4.2Highest VA: 18.3%

Brandermill and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 11.7%Highest 5.1%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.3 miHighest 13.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.22Highest 1.10Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Newport News (23%)Richmond (19%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BrandermillFew work in Smithfield

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 3.6%Highest 0.3%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 10.7 miLowest 12.2 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miLowest 1.7 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 32.1Lowest 94.3Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #112 of 219 in VA #78 of 219 in VA

School district Isle of Wight County Public SchoolsChesterfield County Public Schools

High school in town None in townClover Hill High

Students per teacherat that high school — 15.1

Virginia average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Smithfield neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Smithfield’s Town Square.

Brandermill neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Brandermill’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Smithfield and Brandermill

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Bordering Smithfield

+ Compare

Benns Church1,813 people · $339K homes

Towns like Smithfield

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Poquoson12,639 people · $400K homes

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Bedford7,724 people · $223K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Smithfield vs Brandermill

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Brandermill places higher on 13 of 20 VA lists

A typical home costs $190 more a month in Smithfield

What daily life feels like in each

65 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Smithfield and Brandermill

Bordering Smithfield

Towns like Smithfield

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