Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Hamilton vs Central Falls 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 affordable homes ($311k median).
Hamilton has the most people working from home (26.3%).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Hamilton | Central Falls | West Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
7,600Lowest |
22,701 |
31,173 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
43.5±2.1Highest 12% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
42.8±1.5 10% above U.S. |
| Hamilton 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%±2 U.S.: 22% |
24%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Hamilton 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% |
21.9%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hamilton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hamilton and West Warwick 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. |
$129,833±$14kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$77,608±$7k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$720,000±$36kHighest 116% above U.S. |
$352,100±$30k 6% above U.S. |
$330,800±$12k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,794±$394Highest 27% above U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
$1,303±$74 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$4,962 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
65.8%±23.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hamilton and Central Falls 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% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
57% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.3%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #36 of 282 in MA | #38 of 38 in RI | #33 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Hamilton-Wenham | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | West Warwick |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Hamilton-Wenham Regional High | Central Falls Sr High | West Warwick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.8Lowest |
14.6 |
13.0 |
| 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.