Smithville's housing runs from established single-family homes and townhomes to condominium communities with shared amenities such as pools, clubhouses, and tennis courts. The area grew as a planned residential community around the historic village, so homes span several decades and styles. Because development sits within Galloway Township rather than an incorporated municipality, local services come through the township. Buyers are drawn to the combination of village atmosphere, neighborhood amenities, and proximity to Stockton University and the shore.

Smithville is organized around Historic Smithville at its center, the lakefront village of shops and restaurants that anchors the community's identity. Surrounding residential neighborhoods spread across Galloway Township, with planned communities offering pools, clubhouses, and tennis courts alongside older single-family streets. The pinelands and wetlands that border the area keep development bounded, so neighborhoods transition quickly into open space. Absegami High School and Stockton University's campus sit nearby, reinforcing the community's connection to education and the pinelands.

Life in Smithville revolves around the village and the outdoors. Residents and visitors alike gather at Historic Smithville for shopping, dining, and seasonal events, while the pinelands and the Forsythe refuge offer walking and birding. Atlantic City's beaches and boardwalk are a 15-minute drive, and Stockton University brings concerts, lectures, and cultural programming to the area. It is a quiet, family-oriented South Jersey community that balances suburban living with a distinctive historic center.

Smithville students attend Galloway Township Public Schools for elementary and middle grades, then Absegami High School, a comprehensive public school of roughly 1,150 students that is part of the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District. Absegami offers Advanced Placement coursework and serves the Galloway Township area. Stockton University, New Jersey's public university based in Galloway, provides nearby higher-education and cultural resources. Private and parochial options are available in the broader Atlantic County area.

Smithville sits a short distance from Garden State Parkway Exit 44, the main artery of the Jersey Shore. The parkway connects north to Atlantic City, Philadelphia, and New York and south toward Cape May. U.S. Route 9 runs nearby for local travel, and the Atlantic City Expressway provides an additional link to the Atlantic City area and points west. The community is about 15 miles inland from Atlantic City, and most residents rely on cars, with regional rail and air service available in Atlantic City and Philadelphia.

Historic Smithville Village is the community's signature destination, with its shops, restaurants, lakefront, paddle boats, and seasonal festivals. The Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, just outside town, protects coastal wetlands and is a premier spot for birding and photography. The Pine Barrens surrounding Galloway offer hiking, kayaking, and open space, while Atlantic City's beaches, boardwalk, and entertainment are 15 minutes away. Bass River State Forest and the Great Bay provide additional outdoor destinations within an easy drive.