Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Dedham 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).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
West Warwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).

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.

MeasureWoonsocketDedhamWest Warwick
People
Population
43,521Highest
25,237Lowest
31,173
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
44.6±1.6Highest
15% above U.S.
42.8±1.5
10% above U.S.
Dedham and West Warwick 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%
18.6%±1.9
U.S.: 22%
15.7%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
21.9%±2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
20%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Dedham and West Warwick 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%
55%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
26.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±1.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
West Warwick and Dedham 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.
$128,955±$10kHighest
60% above U.S.
$77,608±$7k
4% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$661,800±$16kHighest
99% above U.S.
$330,800±$12k
about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$2,042±$182Highest
45% above U.S.
$1,303±$74
8% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$7,918Highest
154% above U.S.
$4,962
59% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
56.4%±10Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
43.5%±7.8Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Dedham 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%
5.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
9.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
57%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1956
24 yrs older than U.S.
1968Highest
12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
25 minLowest
5% below U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
20%±2.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
7.2%±2
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #37 of 38 in RI #119 of 282 in MA #33 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Dedham West Warwick
High school in town Woonsocket High School Dedham High West Warwick High School
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
10.4Lowest
13.0
On TownTapestry
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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.