Compare towns
New Salem vs Woonsocket vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Salem has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k 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.
| Measure | New Salem | Woonsocket | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,054Lowest |
43,521Highest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.6±2.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±6.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Salem and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,688±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
| New Salem and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $359,000±$40kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| New Salem and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$88Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| New Salem and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,509Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 86.7%±25.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| New Salem and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Salem and Ware 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 | — | #37 of 38 in RI | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Ware |
| High school in town | — | Woonsocket High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.