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 B−Colonial BeachSafer than 48% of U.S. towns

Schools

A−SmithfieldBetter than 80% of districts in the state C+Colonial BeachBetter than 39% of districts in the state

Health

BSmithfieldHealthier than 59% of U.S. towns DColonial BeachHealthier than 7% of U.S. towns

14Smithfield

5Colonial Beach

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 255 towns #210#57 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 255 towns #67#189 Lowest depressionHealth · 255 towns #122#229 Highest incomeIncome · 255 towns #105#210 Most activeHealth · 255 towns #139#242 Fewest smokersHealth · 255 towns #142#240 HealthiestHealth · 254 towns #149#244 Shortest commuteGetting around · 255 towns #154#246

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 $460 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 →

Colonial Beach$1,950/mo

Typical home $325K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $620/mo · Housing →

The difference: $460 a month, about $5,500 a year, between Smithfield and Colonial Beach.

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

SmithfieldColonial Beach

Snow a year3″12″

January low32°F 29°F

July high87°F 88°F

Growing season (days)238d 204d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)34th 51st

Outdoors & history

SmithfieldColonial Beach

Trails11 mi 0 mi

Conserved land3.6%0.8%

Settled1752 1892

National Register places7 2

Archive photos18 24

Famous people born here12 3

Community

SmithfieldColonial Beach

Library hours a week46 hrs 32 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

91 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SmithfieldVA Colonial BeachVA

Smithfield ↔ Colonial Beach91 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

SmithfieldColonial Beach

People

Population 8,834Highest 3,966Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +5.5%Lowest VA: +7.9% +10.3%Highest VA: +7.9%

Median age 46.3±3.4Highest 19% above VA 46±10.5Lowest 18% above VA

Smithfield and Colonial Beach 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% 21.1%±5.2Highest VA: 21.7%

Colonial Beach 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% 24.2%±5.3Highest VA: 16.7%

Colonial Beach 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%Highest VA: 42.2% 28.8%Lowest VA: 42.2%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.4%±2.8Highest VA: 6.9% 1.1%±1.1Lowest VA: 6.9%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $113,158±$13kHighest 21% above VA $60,513±$9kLowest 35% below VA

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $374,900±$18kHighest about the VA average $268,200±$20kLowest 30% below VA

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,195±$150Highest 24% below VA $620±$459Lowest 61% below VA

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,991Highest 7% above VA $2,431Lowest 13% below VA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 54.4%±15Highest VA: 48.5% 54.2%±22.4Lowest VA: 48.5%

Smithfield and Colonial Beach 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% 24.4%Highest VA: 9.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 82.3%Highest VA: 67.3% 79.9%Lowest VA: 67.3%

Typical home builtmedian year 1992Highest 8 yrs newer than VA 1979Lowest 5 yrs older than VA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 28 minLowest about the VA average 40 minHighest 47% above VA

Work from home 15.2%±5.3Highest VA: 18.3% 10.8%±6.1Lowest VA: 18.3%

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

Work in townworking residents 11.7%Highest 10.1%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.3 miLowest 41.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.22Highest 0.42Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Newport News (23%)Washington (5%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Colonial BeachFew work in Smithfield

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 3.6%Highest 0.8%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 10.7 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6Highest 4Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 32.1Lowest 96.0Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #112 of 219 in VA #146 of 219 in VA

School district Isle of Wight County Public SchoolsColonial Beach Public Schools

High school in town None in townColonial Beach High

Students per teacherat that high school — 20.5

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.

Colonial Beach neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Colonial Beach’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Smithfield and Colonial Beach

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Bordering Smithfield

+ Compare

Benns Church1,813 people · $339K homes

Towns like Smithfield

+ Compare

Poquoson12,639 people · $400K homes

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Berryville4,707 people · $551K homes

+ Compare

Bedford7,724 people · $223K homes

+ Compare

Warrenton10,176 people · $478K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Virginia towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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 Colonial Beach

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Smithfield places higher on 14 of 19 VA lists

A typical home costs $460 more a month in Smithfield

What daily life feels like in each

91 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Smithfield and Colonial Beach

Bordering Smithfield

Towns like Smithfield

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