Compare towns
Gardner 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
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
West Warwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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.
| Measure | Gardner | West Warwick | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Lowest |
31,173 |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.8±1.5 10% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Gardner and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Warwick and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Warwick and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$77,608±$7kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| West Warwick and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$330,800±$12kHighest about the U.S. average |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
| West Warwick and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,303±$74Highest 8% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,962Highest 59% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #33 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Gardner | West Warwick | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Gardner High | West Warwick High School | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
13.0Lowest |
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.