Compare towns

Bow vs West Warwick vs Woonsocket

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
West Warwick has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% 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.

MeasureBowWest WarwickWoonsocket
People
Population
8,335Lowest
31,173
43,521Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2
7% above U.S.
42.8±1.5Highest
10% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
West Warwick and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
25%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.7%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2
U.S.: 22%
Bow and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.6%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
20%±2.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
West Warwick and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
60.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
26.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±1.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
West Warwick and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$172,857±$16kHighest
114% above U.S.
$77,608±$7k
4% below U.S.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$506,500±$34kHighest
52% above U.S.
$330,800±$12k
about the U.S. average
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,539±$178Highest
9% above U.S.
$1,303±$74
8% below U.S.
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
Bow and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,584Highest
207% above U.S.
$4,962
59% above U.S.
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
43.5%±7.8
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Woonsocket and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
2.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
9.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
57%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1968
12 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the U.S. average
25 minLowest
5% below U.S.
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
7.2%±2
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #26 of 120 in NH #33 of 38 in RI #37 of 38 in RI
School district Bow School District West Warwick RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town Bow High School West Warwick High School Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Lowest
13.0
15.2Highest
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.