Compare towns
North Kingstown vs Woonsocket vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Kingstown has the oldest population (median age 46.2).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Exeter has the shortest commute (22 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 | North Kingstown | Woonsocket | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,859 |
43,521Highest |
7,195Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% RI: +4.3% |
+5%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 46.2±2.4Highest 14% above RI |
35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
37.7±5.9 7% below RI |
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±1.7Lowest RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
19.7%±4.7 RI: 18.8% |
| Woonsocket and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±1.9Highest RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.7% |
18.2%±3.8 RI: 18.7% |
| North Kingstown and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.6%Highest RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
46.1% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±1.5 RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
11.1%±6.3Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Exeter and North Kingstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,293±$14kHighest 44% above RI |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$111,250±$30k 27% above RI |
| North Kingstown and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $543,700±$26kHighest 35% above RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$509,200±$43k 26% above RI |
| North Kingstown and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,268±$187 6% below RI |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,317±$307Highest about the RI average |
| Exeter and North Kingstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,396Highest 31% above RI |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$5,881 20% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.5%±8.6Lowest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4 RI: 48% |
91%±26.7Highest RI: 48% |
| Below poverty line | 6.1%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
18.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
12.8% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.7% RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
80.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 11 yrs newer than RI |
1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI |
1987Highest 25 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the RI average |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
22 minLowest 12% below RI |
| Work from home | 16.7%±2.4 RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
17.2%±6.1Highest RI: 13% |
| Exeter and North Kingstown 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 | #4 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI | #14 of 38 in RI |
| School district | North Kingstown | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Exeter-West Greenwich |
| High school in town | North Kingstown Sr. High | Woonsocket High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Lowest |
15.2Highest |
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| 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.