Compare towns
Warwick vs Cranston vs Woonsocket vs West Warwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warwick has the most homeowners (73.3%).
Cranston has the most expensive homes ($378k median).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
West Warwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Warwick | Cranston | Woonsocket | West Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 83,175 |
83,250Highest |
43,521 |
31,173Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+3.2% RI: +4.3% |
+5% RI: +4.3% |
+6.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 44.3±1Highest 9% above RI |
39.6±0.9 about the RI average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
42.8±1.5 5% above RI |
| Warwick and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±1.1 RI: 18.8% |
19.6%±1.4 RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±1.2Highest RI: 18.7% |
16.8%±1.1 RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.7% |
20%±2.1 RI: 18.7% |
| Warwick 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+ | 33.7% RI: 37.7% |
36.4%Highest RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
26.4% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.7 RI: 8.3% |
6.3%±0.8Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
5.7%±1.3 RI: 8.3% |
| Cranston and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,708±$6k about the RI average |
$90,206±$4kHighest about the RI average |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$77,608±$7k 12% below RI |
| Cranston and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $354,600±$5k 12% below RI |
$378,300±$7kHighest 6% below RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$330,800±$12k 18% below RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,363±$76 about the RI average |
$1,375±$59Highest about the RI average |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,303±$74 about the RI average |
| Cranston and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,616 6% below RI |
$5,103Highest 4% above RI |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$4,962 about the RI average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±6.1Highest RI: 48% |
47.3%±6 RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4 RI: 48% |
43.5%±7.8Lowest RI: 48% |
| Warwick and Cranston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.6%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
10.2% RI: 11.2% |
18.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
9.6% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
67.6% RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
57% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 1 yr older than RI |
1958 4 yrs older than RI |
1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI |
1968Highest 6 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below RI |
24 minLowest 5% below RI |
29 minHighest 15% above RI |
25 min about the RI average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±1.2 RI: 13% |
13%±1.2Highest RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
7.2%±2 RI: 13% |
| Cranston and Warwick 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 | #28 of 38 in RI | #27 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI | #33 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Warwick | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | West Warwick |
| High school in town | Pilgrim High School | Cranston High School West | Woonsocket High School | West Warwick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Lowest |
15.4Highest |
15.2 |
13.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.