Compare towns

Palmer Town vs Woonsocket vs Ware vs Warren

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Palmer Town has the highest household income ($78k).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Warren has the most expensive homes ($334k 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.

MeasurePalmer TownWoonsocketWareWarren
People
Population
12,381
43,521Highest
10,048
5,009Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2%
U.S.: +7.4%
-3.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
47.8±5.6Highest
23% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
43.1±4.7
11% above U.S.
38.7±7.3
about the U.S. average
Palmer Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
15.1%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.1%±3.5
U.S.: 22%
20.8%±8
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
20.9%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4
U.S.: 17.2%
20.6%±3.4
U.S.: 17.2%
14.6%±4.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Palmer Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
23.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
24%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
23.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.4%±1.5
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±2.2
U.S.: 6.4%
2.9%±2.1Lowest
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
$78,480±$8kHighest
about the U.S. average
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$67,475±$15k
16% below U.S.
$66,082±$6k
18% below U.S.
Palmer Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$271,400±$21kLowest
18% below U.S.
$311,000±$15k
7% below U.S.
$289,700±$28k
13% below U.S.
$333,700±$35kHighest
about the U.S. average
Warren and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,075±$103
24% below U.S.
$1,161±$48Highest
18% below U.S.
$1,043±$109
26% below U.S.
$890±$174Lowest
37% below U.S.
Woonsocket and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,540Highest
46% above U.S.
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$4,237
36% above U.S.
$4,530
45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52.9%±10.6
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
64.3%±16.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
29.7%±18.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Ware and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
9%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
71.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
72.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
64.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1962
18 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1960
20 yrs older than U.S.
1975Highest
5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
31 min
19% above U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
28 minLowest
8% above U.S.
33 minHighest
25% above U.S.
Work from home
7.3%±2.7
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.3%±3.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
8.5%±5.4
U.S.: 15.1%
Ware and Warren 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 #252 of 282 in MA #37 of 38 in RI #267 of 282 in MA #165 of 282 in MA
School district Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Ware Quaboag Regional
High school in town Pathfinder Vocational Technical Woonsocket High School Ware Junior/Senior High School Quaboag Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school
9.9Lowest
15.2Highest
11.1
10.0
On TownTapestry
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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.