Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Ayer vs West Warwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
West Warwick has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Woonsocket | Ayer | West Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
8,645Lowest |
31,173 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
42.8±1.5Highest 10% above U.S. |
| West Warwick and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3Highest 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 | $61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$101,875±$15kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$77,608±$7k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$330,800±$12k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,303±$74 8% below U.S. |
| Ayer and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,057Highest 62% above U.S. |
$4,962 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #113 of 282 in MA | #33 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Ayer Shirley School District | West Warwick |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | West Warwick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.5Lowest |
13.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.