Compare towns

Ware vs Warwick vs Woonsocket vs Palmer Town

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

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k 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.

MeasureWareWarwickWoonsocketPalmer Town
People
Population
10,048
776Lowest
43,521Highest
12,381
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2%
U.S.: +7.4%
0%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.1±4.7
11% above U.S.
51.4±7.3Highest
32% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
47.8±5.6
23% above U.S.
Warwick and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19.1%±3.5
U.S.: 22%
9.9%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.1%±3.1
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+
20.6%±3.4
U.S.: 17.2%
23.2%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.9%±4.2
U.S.: 17.2%
Warwick and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
24%
U.S.: 35.7%
40.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
23.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.4%±2.2
U.S.: 6.4%
2.4%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.4%±1.5
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
$67,475±$15k
16% below U.S.
$93,333±$22kHighest
16% above U.S.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$78,480±$8k
about the U.S. average
Warwick and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$289,700±$28k
13% below U.S.
$349,400±$34kHighest
5% above U.S.
$311,000±$15k
7% below U.S.
$271,400±$21kLowest
18% below U.S.
Warwick and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,043±$109Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,367±$163Highest
3% below U.S.
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
$1,075±$103
24% below U.S.
Warwick and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,237
36% above U.S.
$4,380
40% above U.S.
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$4,540Highest
46% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
64.3%±16.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
33.3%±57.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
52.9%±10.6
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
11.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
72.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
89%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
71.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1960
20 yrs older than U.S.
1974Highest
6 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1962
18 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minLowest
8% above U.S.
40 minHighest
52% above U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
31 min
19% above U.S.
Work from home
12.3%±3.8
U.S.: 15.1%
22.4%±6.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
7.3%±2.7
U.S.: 15.1%
Warwick 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 #267 of 282 in MA — #37 of 38 in RI #252 of 282 in MA
School district Ware Warwick RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town Ware Junior/Senior High School None in town Woonsocket High School Pathfinder Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school
11.1
—
15.2Highest
9.9Lowest
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.