Compare towns
Central Falls vs West Warwick vs Valley Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
West Warwick has the most affordable homes ($331k median).
Valley Falls has the most people working from home (9.9%).
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 | West Warwick | Valley Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,701 |
31,173Highest |
12,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.6%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+6.2% RI: +4.3% |
+4.7%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 32.5±2.3Lowest 20% below RI |
42.8±1.5Highest 5% above RI |
41.7±3.5 about the RI average |
| West Warwick and Valley Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.1%±3.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
25%±4.4 RI: 18.8% |
| Central Falls and Valley Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.7%±2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
20%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7% |
16.6%±2.4 RI: 18.7% |
| West Warwick and Valley Falls 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 RI: 37.7% |
26.4% RI: 37.7% |
29.1%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.7 RI: 8.3% |
5.7%±1.3Highest RI: 8.3% |
1.3%±0.8Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| 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 44% below RI |
$77,608±$7k 12% below RI |
$92,901±$17kHighest 6% above RI |
| Valley Falls and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,100±$30k 13% below RI |
$330,800±$12kLowest 18% below RI |
$375,200±$19kHighest 7% below RI |
| Valley Falls and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$75Lowest 11% below RI |
$1,303±$74 about the RI average |
$1,362±$142Highest about the RI average |
| Valley Falls and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,744Lowest 24% below RI |
$4,962Highest about the RI average |
$4,397 10% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.7%±8.2Highest RI: 48% |
43.5%±7.8Lowest RI: 48% |
46.4%±17.7 RI: 48% |
| Central Falls and Valley Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 24.6%Highest RI: 11.2% |
9.6% RI: 11.2% |
4.1%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 25.6%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
57% RI: 63.6% |
67.8%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 18 yrs older than RI |
1968Highest 6 yrs newer than RI |
1963 1 yr newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 7% above RI |
25 min about the RI average |
23 minLowest 9% below RI |
| Work from home | 5.2%±2Lowest RI: 13% |
7.2%±2 RI: 13% |
9.9%±4.4Highest RI: 13% |
| Valley Falls 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 | #33 of 38 in RI | — |
| School district | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | West Warwick | — |
| High school in town | Central Falls Sr High | West Warwick High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
13.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
RI 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.