What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).

North Smithfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).

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	Webster	North Smithfield
People
Population	17,748Highest	12,708Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average	45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S.
	North Smithfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%	19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Webster and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	North Smithfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	33.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Webster and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S.	$108,866±$12kHighest 35% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,500±$12kLowest 9% above U.S.	$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,228±$81Lowest 13% below U.S.	$1,282±$531Highest 9% below U.S.
	North Smithfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S.	$5,219Highest 67% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Webster and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	77.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S.	1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.	26 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	14.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#271 of 282 in MA	#13 of 38 in RI
School district	Webster	North Smithfield
High school in town	Bartlett High School	North Smitfield HS
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Lowest	12.1Highest
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.