Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Shirley 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).
Shirley has the most people working from home (21.3%).
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 | Shirley | West Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
1,146Lowest |
31,173 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
44.2±14.6Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.8±1.5 10% above U.S. |
| Shirley 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% |
18.4%±8.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Shirley 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% |
15.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Warwick and Shirley 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% |
47.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Shirley 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±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$108,494±$62kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$77,608±$7k 4% below U.S. |
| Shirley and West Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$395,800±$50kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$330,800±$12k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$982±$797Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,303±$74Highest 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,398 41% above U.S. |
$4,962Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±15 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and Shirley 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% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 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 19% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±17.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shirley 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 | #239 of 282 in MA | #33 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — | West Warwick |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | — | West Warwick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 13.0Lowest |
| 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.