Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Ware vs Heath
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
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 | Ware | Heath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
10,048 |
765Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
53.8±11.9Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Heath and Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.6%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Ware 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. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$98,750±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Heath and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$295,000±$45k 11% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
— |
| Woonsocket and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,438Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.7%±17.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Heath and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Ware | — |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.