Compare towns

Woonsocket vs Putnam 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).
Putnam has the most people working from home (9%).
West Warwick has the highest household income ($78k).

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.

MeasureWoonsocketPutnamWest Warwick
People
Population
43,521Highest
9,292Lowest
31,173
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+6.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
43.7±3Highest
12% above U.S.
42.8±1.5
10% above U.S.
Putnam 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%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
15.7%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±3.1
U.S.: 17.2%
20%±2.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
West Warwick and Putnam 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%
20%
U.S.: 35.7%
26.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±1.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
West Warwick and Woonsocket 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.
$70,561±$7k
13% below U.S.
$77,608±$7kHighest
4% below U.S.
West Warwick and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,000±$15k
7% below U.S.
$269,200±$11kLowest
19% below U.S.
$330,800±$12kHighest
about the U.S. average
West Warwick and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
$1,149±$44Lowest
19% below U.S.
$1,303±$74Highest
8% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,960
27% above U.S.
$3,860Lowest
24% above U.S.
$4,962Highest
59% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±5.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
43.5%±7.8
U.S.: 51.1%
Woonsocket and West Warwick 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%
11.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
9.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
59.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
57%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
1968Highest
12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
25 minLowest
6% below U.S.
25 min
5% below U.S.
Work from home
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
9%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
7.2%±2
U.S.: 15.1%
Putnam and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #37 of 38 in RI #128 of 149 in CT #33 of 38 in RI
School district RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Putnam School District West Warwick
High school in town Woonsocket High School Putnam High School West Warwick High School
Students per teacherat that high school
15.2Highest
9.5Lowest
13.0
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.