What stands out worked out from the figures below

Smithville has the most renters (18.3% rent).

Wheelock has the most people working from home (21.1%).

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	Smithville	Wheelock
People
Population	1,525Highest	717Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-6.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.1±3.2Lowest 11% above U.S.	51±5.6Highest 31% above U.S.
	Wheelock and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Wheelock and Smithville 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%	29.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	34.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Smithville and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,433±$7kHighest 13% below U.S.	$64,792±$20kLowest 20% below U.S.
	Smithville and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$173,200±$42kLowest 48% below U.S.	$189,600±$37kHighest 43% below U.S.
	Wheelock and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$889±$186 37% below U.S.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,254Highest 36% above U.S.	$2,937Lowest 6% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.9%±31.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Smithville and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	28 minLowest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	4.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.1%±16Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wheelock and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.