Compare towns
Richmond 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
Richmond has the most homeowners (96.6%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
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 | Richmond | Woonsocket | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,142 |
43,521Highest |
7,195Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% RI: +4.3% |
+5%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 42.7±4.1Highest 5% above RI |
35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
37.7±5.9 7% below RI |
| Richmond and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±4.8 RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
19.7%±4.7Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Woonsocket and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±3.2 RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.7% |
18.2%±3.8Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Exeter and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
46.1% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.9 RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
11.1%±6.3Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Exeter and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,653±$27kHighest 42% above RI |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$111,250±$30k 27% above RI |
| Richmond and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $435,800±$22k 8% above RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$509,200±$43kHighest 26% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,580±$777Highest 18% above RI |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,317±$307 about the RI average |
| Richmond and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,362Highest 30% above RI |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$5,881 20% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.9Lowest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4 RI: 48% |
91%±26.7Highest RI: 48% |
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
18.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
12.8% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
80.3% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 23 yrs newer than RI |
1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI |
1987Highest 25 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 33% above RI |
29 min 15% above RI |
22 minLowest 12% below RI |
| Work from home | 11%±3.8 RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
17.2%±6.1Highest RI: 13% |
| Exeter and Richmond 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 | #16 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI | #14 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Chariho | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Exeter-West Greenwich |
| High school in town | Chariho High School | Woonsocket High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
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.