What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most kids (23.3% under 18).

West Warwick has the most homeowners (57%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Woonsocket	West Warwick
People
Population	43,521Highest	31,173Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+6.2%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI	42.8±1.5Highest 5% above RI
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8%	15.7%±2.3Lowest RI: 18.8%
Age 65+	14.7%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.7%	20%±2.1Highest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7%	26.4%Highest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Lowest RI: 8.3%	5.7%±1.3Highest RI: 8.3%
	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 30% below RI	$77,608±$7kHighest 12% below RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI	$330,800±$12kHighest 18% below RI
	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±$48Lowest 13% below RI	$1,303±$74Highest about the RI average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,960Lowest 19% below RI	$4,962Highest about the RI average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Highest RI: 48%	43.5%±7.8Lowest RI: 48%
	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 RI: 11.2%	9.6%Lowest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6%	57%Highest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI	1968Highest 6 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 15% above RI	25 minLowest about the RI average
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13%	7.2%±2Highest RI: 13%
	West Warwick and Woonsocket 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	#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

RI 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.