Compare towns
Central Falls vs Athol vs West Warwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Athol has the most people working from home (10.6%).
West Warwick has the highest household income ($78k).
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 | Central Falls | Athol | West Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,701 |
12,011Lowest |
31,173Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
42.8±1.5Highest 10% above U.S. |
| West Warwick and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Warwick and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Warwick and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$77,608±$7kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| West Warwick and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,100±$30kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$330,800±$12k about the U.S. average |
| Central Falls and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,303±$74Highest 8% below U.S. |
| West Warwick and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,744 20% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,962Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.7%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Athol and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 38 in RI | #256 of 282 in MA | #33 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | Athol-Royalston | West Warwick |
| High school in town | Central Falls Sr High | Athol High | West Warwick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
11.6Lowest |
13.0 |
| 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.