Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Bantam vs West Warwick vs North Smithfield
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).
Bantam has the most people working from home (16%).
West Warwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
North Smithfield has the most expensive homes ($457k 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.
| Measure | Woonsocket | Bantam | West Warwick | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
810Lowest |
31,173 |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
47.2±15.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
42.8±1.5 10% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9 17% above U.S. |
| Bantam and North Smithfield 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% |
18.8%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±8.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bantam and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3 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. |
— | $77,608±$7k 4% below U.S. |
$108,866±$12kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$317,700±$40k 5% below U.S. |
$330,800±$12k about the U.S. average |
$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$688±$106Lowest 51% below U.S. |
$1,303±$74Highest 8% below U.S. |
$1,282±$531 9% below U.S. |
| West Warwick and North Smithfield 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. |
$3,984 28% above U.S. |
$4,962 59% above U.S. |
$5,219Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±12.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bantam and Woonsocket 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% |
14.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
57% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bantam and North Smithfield 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | — | #33 of 38 in RI | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — | West Warwick | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | — | West Warwick High School | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 13.0 |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.