Compare towns

Exeter vs Warwick vs South Kingstown

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%).
Warwick has the most affordable homes ($355k median).
South Kingstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.2%).

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.

MeasureExeterWarwickSouth Kingstown
People
Population
7,195Lowest
83,175Highest
32,073
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+0.5%
RI: +4.3%
+0.2%Lowest
RI: +4.3%
+4.2%Highest
RI: +4.3%
Median age
37.7±5.9Lowest
7% below RI
44.3±1Highest
9% above RI
38.9±2.2
4% below RI
Kids under 18
19.7%±4.7Highest
RI: 18.8%
17.6%±1.1
RI: 18.8%
14%±1.4Lowest
RI: 18.8%
Exeter and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.2%±3.8Lowest
RI: 18.7%
21.6%±1.2
RI: 18.7%
23%±1.6Highest
RI: 18.7%
South Kingstown and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
46.1%
RI: 37.7%
33.7%Lowest
RI: 37.7%
60.3%Highest
RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
11.1%±6.3
RI: 8.3%
5.6%±0.7Lowest
RI: 8.3%
22.9%±1.4Highest
RI: 8.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$111,250±$30kHighest
27% above RI
$88,708±$6kLowest
about the RI average
$108,960±$10k
24% above RI
Exeter and South Kingstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$509,200±$43k
26% above RI
$354,600±$5kLowest
12% below RI
$560,200±$22kHighest
39% above RI
South Kingstown and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,317±$307Lowest
about the RI average
$1,363±$76
about the RI average
$1,368±$194Highest
about the RI average
South Kingstown and Warwick 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
$4,616Lowest
6% below RI
$5,338
9% above RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
91%±26.7Highest
RI: 48%
53.1%±6.1
RI: 48%
52.9%±11Lowest
RI: 48%
Below poverty line
12.8%Highest
RI: 11.2%
7.6%Lowest
RI: 11.2%
8.9%
RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.3%Highest
RI: 63.6%
73.3%Lowest
RI: 63.6%
75.4%
RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year
1987Highest
25 yrs newer than RI
1961Lowest
1 yr older than RI
1978
16 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
22 minLowest
12% below RI
25 min
4% below RI
25 minHighest
about the RI average
Work from home
17.2%±6.1Highest
RI: 13%
12.4%±1.2Lowest
RI: 13%
14.6%±2.5
RI: 13%
Exeter and South Kingstown 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 #28 of 38 in RI #9 of 38 in RI
School district Exeter-West Greenwich Warwick Kingston Hill Academy · The Compass School
High school in town None in town Pilgrim High School South Kingstown High
Students per teacherat that high school —
10.5Lowest
10.8Highest
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.