Compare towns
Whiting vs Smithville vs Orwell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the highest household income ($91k).
Smithville has the most affordable homes ($173k median).
Orwell has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Whiting | Smithville | Orwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532Lowest |
1,525Highest |
1,294 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±3.2 11% above U.S. |
47.5±7Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Orwell and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
24%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±5.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$70,433±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$70,417±$22kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36k 16% below U.S. |
$173,200±$42kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$335,600±$25kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Orwell and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519Highest 15% below U.S. |
$889±$186Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,105±$51 22% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227 36% above U.S. |
$4,254Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,914Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±31.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±35.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orwell and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Orwell and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None 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.