What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Smithville has the most renters (18.3% rent).

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	Wheelock	Smithville
People
Population	717Lowest	1,525Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	51±5.6Highest 31% above U.S.	43.1±3.2Lowest 11% 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	18.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%	16.6%±3.2Lowest 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+	29.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	19.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.8%±5.8Highest 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	$64,792±$20kLowest 20% below U.S.	$70,433±$7kHighest 13% 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	$189,600±$37kHighest 43% below U.S.	$173,200±$42kLowest 48% 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	$2,937Lowest 6% below U.S.	$4,254Highest 36% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54.9%±31.2Highest 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	8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	81.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.	1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 4% above U.S.	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.
Work from home	21.1%±16Highest U.S.: 15.1%	4.4%±2.6Lowest 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.