Compare towns
Wheelock vs Smithville vs Washington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wheelock has the most people working from home (21.1%).
Smithville has the youngest population (median age 43.1).
Washington has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).
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 | Wheelock | Smithville | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 717Lowest |
1,525Highest |
1,056 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51±5.6 31% above U.S. |
43.1±3.2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
52.9±5.1Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Washington and Wheelock 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%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±4.2Lowest 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% |
24.3%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wheelock and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±2Lowest 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. |
$66,103±$8k 18% below U.S. |
| Smithville and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $189,600±$37k 43% below U.S. |
$173,200±$42kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$217,700±$37kHighest 35% below U.S. |
| Washington and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $889±$186Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$996±$285Highest 30% below U.S. |
| Washington and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,937Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$4,254Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,485 12% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±31.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.5%±63.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithville and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.1%±16Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wheelock and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 |
| 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.

