Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Boston 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 kids (23.3% under 18).
Boston has the most people working from home (21.3%).
West Warwick has the most homeowners (57%).
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 | Boston | West Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521 |
666,442Highest |
31,173Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
42.8±1.5Highest 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$97,344±$2kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$77,608±$7k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$731,700±$10kHighest 120% above U.S. |
$330,800±$12k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$2,147±$25Highest 52% above U.S. |
$1,303±$74 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,456 43% above U.S. |
$4,962Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Boston 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% |
16.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
57%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±0.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #258 of 282 in MA | #33 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | West Warwick |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Boston Latin School | West Warwick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2 |
18.7Highest |
13.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.