Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Bow vs West Warwick vs Central Falls
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 affordable homes ($311k median).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
West Warwick has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Bow | West Warwick | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
8,335Lowest |
31,173 |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
42.8±1.5Highest 10% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| West Warwick and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Bow 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% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Warwick and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Warwick and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$77,608±$7k 4% below U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$330,800±$12k about the U.S. average |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,303±$74 8% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Bow and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,962 59% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57% U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 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. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #26 of 120 in NH | #33 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Bow School District | West Warwick | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Bow High School | West Warwick High School | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
12.8Lowest |
13.0 |
14.6 |
| 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.