What stands out worked out from the figures below

Glocester has the most kids (19.8% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Glocester	Westerly
People
Population	10,221Lowest	23,333Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+2.5%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	50.8±4.3Lowest 25% 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%	14.4%±2.1Lowest RI: 18.8%
	Glocester and Westerly 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%	26.4%±2.6Highest RI: 18.7%
	Westerly and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.7%Lowest RI: 37.7%	45.8%Highest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1.9Lowest 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	$98,875±$5kLowest 13% above RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$396,500±$28kLowest about the RI average	$466,600±$15kHighest 15% above RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,417±$627Highest 6% above RI	$1,257±$131Lowest 6% below RI
	Glocester and Westerly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,248Highest 7% above RI	$3,847Lowest 21% below RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.5%±24Highest RI: 48%	46.6%±10.4Lowest RI: 48%
	Glocester and Westerly 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%	5.2%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91%Highest RI: 63.6%	74.7%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 13 yrs newer than RI	1973Lowest 11 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 35% above RI	24 minLowest 5% below RI
Work from home	13.1%±4.7Highest RI: 13%	11.5%±2.5Lowest RI: 13%
	Glocester 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	#12 of 38 in RI	#25 of 38 in RI
School district	Foster-Glocester · Glocester	Westerly
High school in town	Ponaganset High School	Westerly High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	9.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.