Compare towns
Smithville vs Walden vs McDonough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Smithville has the most kids (16.6% under 18).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
McDonough has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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 | Smithville | Walden | McDonough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,525Highest |
1,037 |
946Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±3.2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
53.5±1.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| McDonough and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Smithville and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| McDonough and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
13%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Smithville and McDonough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,433±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$68,266±$11kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Walden and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $173,200±$42k 48% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23kHighest 28% below U.S. |
$113,100±$40kLowest 66% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $889±$186Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
$950±$392Highest 33% below U.S. |
| McDonough and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,254Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
$2,542Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±31.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
81.3%±23.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| McDonough and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 4.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±23.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| McDonough and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.