Compare towns
Glocester vs Scituate 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
Glocester has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Scituate has the youngest population (median age 49.9).
Westerly has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Glocester | Scituate | Westerly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,221Lowest |
10,517 |
23,333Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% RI: +4.3% |
+0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+2.5%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 50.8±4.3 25% above RI |
49.9±4Lowest 23% above RI |
52.2±2.4Highest 29% above RI |
| Westerly and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.3Highest RI: 18.8% |
14.9%±3.3 RI: 18.8% |
14.4%±2.1Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Glocester and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±3.4Lowest RI: 18.7% |
25.2%±4.3 RI: 18.7% |
26.4%±2.6Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Westerly and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7% RI: 37.7% |
34.7%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
45.8%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 RI: 8.3% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
5%±1.5Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Westerly and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,508±$7kHighest 29% above RI |
$112,315±$23k 28% above RI |
$98,875±$5kLowest 13% above RI |
| Glocester and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,500±$28kLowest about the RI average |
$449,300±$26k 11% above RI |
$466,600±$15kHighest 15% above RI |
| Westerly and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,417±$627 6% above RI |
$1,489±$251Highest 11% above RI |
$1,257±$131Lowest 6% below RI |
| Scituate and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,248 7% above RI |
$5,265Highest 7% above RI |
$3,847Lowest 21% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±24Highest RI: 48% |
59.6%±25.9 RI: 48% |
46.6%±10.4Lowest RI: 48% |
| Glocester and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
5% RI: 11.2% |
5.2%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91%Highest RI: 63.6% |
87.3% RI: 63.6% |
74.7%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 13 yrs newer than RI |
1966Lowest 4 yrs newer than RI |
1973 11 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 35% above RI |
31 min 20% above RI |
24 minLowest 5% below RI |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.7 RI: 13% |
13.3%±5.1Highest RI: 13% |
11.5%±2.5Lowest RI: 13% |
| Scituate and Glocester 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 | #12 of 38 in RI | #17 of 38 in RI | #25 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster-Glocester · Glocester | Scituate | Westerly |
| High school in town | Ponaganset High School | Scituate High School | Westerly High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.8 |
9.6Lowest |
| 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.