Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Needham 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).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Needham | West Warwick | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
32,459 |
31,173 |
22,701Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% 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. |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
42.8±1.5 10% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Needham 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Central Falls 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% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Warwick and Needham 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% |
81.9%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% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Warwick and Needham 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. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% 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. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% 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. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,303±$74 8% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Needham 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% |
3.7%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% |
83.1%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. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 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. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #33 of 38 in RI | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Needham | West Warwick | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Needham High | West Warwick High School | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.9Lowest |
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.