Compare towns
Exeter vs Pascoag vs Westerly
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Pascoag has the most affordable homes ($365k median).
Westerly has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
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 | Exeter | Pascoag | Westerly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,195 |
4,410Lowest |
23,333Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+1.4% RI: +4.3% |
+2.5%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.9Lowest 7% below RI |
39.1±3.7 4% below RI |
52.2±2.4Highest 29% above RI |
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
19.7%±6.9Highest RI: 18.8% |
14.4%±2.1Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.8Lowest RI: 18.7% |
21%±5.1 RI: 18.7% |
26.4%±2.6Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Westerly and Pascoag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1%Highest RI: 37.7% |
26.1%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
45.8% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±6.3Highest RI: 8.3% |
0.9%±1.1Lowest RI: 8.3% |
5%±1.5 RI: 8.3% |
| Exeter and Westerly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$30k 27% above RI |
$121,369±$34kHighest 38% above RI |
$98,875±$5kLowest 13% above RI |
| Pascoag and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $509,200±$43kHighest 26% above RI |
$365,000±$47kLowest 10% below RI |
$466,600±$15k 15% above RI |
| Exeter and Westerly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,317±$307 about the RI average |
$1,319±$444Highest about the RI average |
$1,257±$131Lowest 6% below RI |
| Pascoag and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,881Highest 20% above RI |
$4,395 10% below RI |
$3,847Lowest 21% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91%±26.7Highest RI: 48% |
36.1%±27.4Lowest RI: 48% |
46.6%±10.4 RI: 48% |
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest RI: 11.2% |
11.4% RI: 11.2% |
5.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
72.8%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
74.7% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 25 yrs newer than RI |
1953Lowest 9 yrs older than RI |
1973 11 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 12% below RI |
35 minHighest 39% above RI |
24 min 5% below RI |
| Work from home | 17.2%±6.1Highest RI: 13% |
7.4%±4.7Lowest RI: 13% |
11.5%±2.5 RI: 13% |
| Exeter and Westerly 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 | #14 of 38 in RI | — | #25 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Exeter-West Greenwich | — | Westerly |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Westerly High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.6 |
| 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.