Compare towns
Stoneham vs West Warwick vs Woonsocket vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stoneham has the most homeowners (71%).
West Warwick has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
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 | Stoneham | West Warwick | Woonsocket | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,355Lowest |
31,173 |
43,521Highest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2 8% above U.S. |
42.8±1.5Highest 10% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| West Warwick and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stoneham and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Warwick and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,964±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$77,608±$7k 4% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $671,900±$26k 102% above U.S. |
$330,800±$12k about the U.S. average |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142Highest 44% above U.S. |
$1,303±$74 8% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523 109% above U.S. |
$4,962 59% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 282 in MA | #33 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | West Warwick | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | West Warwick High School | Woonsocket High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
13.0 |
15.2Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.