What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westerly has the most expensive homes ($467k median).

Hopkinton has the most people working from home (14.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Westerly	Hopkinton
People
Population	23,333Highest	8,420Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.5%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+2.6%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	52.2±2.4Highest 29% above RI	46.1±3.9Lowest 14% above RI
	Westerly and Hopkinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.4%±2.1Lowest RI: 18.8%	16.9%±3.6Highest RI: 18.8%
	Hopkinton and Westerly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.4%±2.6Highest RI: 18.7%	19.7%±3.6Lowest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.8%Highest RI: 37.7%	34.9%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.5Lowest RI: 8.3%	6%±2.3Highest RI: 8.3%
	Hopkinton and Westerly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$98,875±$5kHighest 13% above RI	$97,172±$12kLowest 11% above RI
	Westerly and Hopkinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$466,600±$15kHighest 15% above RI	$404,300±$29kLowest about the RI average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,257±$131Highest 6% below RI	$1,040±$441Lowest 23% below RI
	Westerly and Hopkinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,847Lowest 21% below RI	$5,616Highest 15% above RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.6%±10.4Lowest RI: 48%	52.3%±17.5Highest RI: 48%
	Hopkinton and Westerly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Lowest RI: 11.2%	7%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.7%Lowest RI: 63.6%	79.6%Highest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 11 yrs newer than RI	1977Highest 15 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 5% below RI	26 minHighest about the RI average
Work from home	11.5%±2.5Lowest RI: 13%	14.4%±6.1Highest RI: 13%
	Hopkinton and Westerly 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	#25 of 38 in RI	#11 of 38 in RI
School district	Westerly	Chariho
High school in town	Westerly High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	9.6	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.