What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hopkinton has the most people working from home (14.4%).

Westerly has the most expensive homes ($467k median).

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	Hopkinton	Westerly
People
Population	8,420Lowest	23,333Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6%Highest RI: +4.3%	+2.5%Lowest RI: +4.3%
Median age	46.1±3.9Lowest 14% above RI	52.2±2.4Highest 29% above RI
	Westerly and Hopkinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.9%±3.6Highest RI: 18.8%	14.4%±2.1Lowest RI: 18.8%
	Hopkinton and Westerly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3.6Lowest RI: 18.7%	26.4%±2.6Highest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.9%Lowest RI: 37.7%	45.8%Highest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6%±2.3Highest RI: 8.3%	5%±1.5Lowest RI: 8.3%
	Hopkinton and Westerly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,172±$12kLowest 11% above RI	$98,875±$5kHighest 13% above RI
	Westerly and Hopkinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$404,300±$29kLowest about the RI average	$466,600±$15kHighest 15% above RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,040±$441Lowest 23% below RI	$1,257±$131Highest 6% below RI
	Westerly and Hopkinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,616Highest 15% above RI	$3,847Lowest 21% below RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.3%±17.5Highest RI: 48%	46.6%±10.4Lowest RI: 48%
	Hopkinton and Westerly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7%Highest RI: 11.2%	5.2%Lowest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%Highest RI: 63.6%	74.7%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 15 yrs newer than RI	1973Lowest 11 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the RI average	24 minLowest 5% below RI
Work from home	14.4%±6.1Highest RI: 13%	11.5%±2.5Lowest RI: 13%
	Hopkinton 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	#11 of 38 in RI	#25 of 38 in RI
School district	Chariho	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

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.