Town Hall · Westerly

Westerly, RI town hall & government

Westerly spent $121.8 million in the year to June 30, 2024, about $5,230 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Westerly's government.

Town budget

Where Westerly's money goes

Spent
$121.8 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2024
Per resident
$5,230
typical Rhode Island towns: $4,541
Long-term debt
$57 million
$2,447 per resident
Schools
$70.2 million58%
Sewer & trash
$9 million7%
Police
$8.2 million7%
Water & other utilities
$5.4 million4%
Administration & buildings
$4.9 million4%
Roads & transportation
$3 million2%
Health & welfare
$2.5 million2%
Paid to other governments
$2 million2%
Interest on debt
$1.1 million1%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$844,0001%
Parks & libraries
$623,0001%
Housing & development
$527,000<1%
Other
$13.5 million11%

Westerly runs its own schools, so school spending is part of its budget. Comparisons are with other Rhode Island towns.

Where the money comes from

  • Property taxes 60%
  • From the state 22%
  • Fees & charges 10%
  • Utility sales 5%
  • Interest, fines & other 2%
  • Other taxes & licenses 1%
  • From the federal government <1%
  • From other local governments <1%
Town workforce · Census estimate

Who works for Westerly

Full-time staff
666
244 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$76,400
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
52
full-time, with power of arrest
Schools
477 full-time225 part
Police
62 full-time6 part
Administration & buildings
36 full-time10 part
Roads & transportation
36 full-time
Water & other utilities
24 full-time
Sewer & trash
10 full-time
Parks & libraries
3 full-time3 part
Courts, inspections & corrections
4 full-time
Health & welfare
4 full-time
Other
10 full-time

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate. Westerly didn't report its staffing to the Census Bureau, so these are the Bureau's estimates.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Westerly School District

Westerly's K–12 school district. The schools are run by Westerly, so this money is part of the budget above.

Spending per pupil
$27,086
Rhode Island: $23,945
Students
2,215
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$109.1 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Rhode Island districts overall: 48% local, 40% state, 13% federal

  • Local 72%
  • State 19%
  • Federal 9%

Of the $27,086 per pupil, $14,635 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Westerly pay

Typical tax bill
$3,847
a year · Rhode Island typical $4,900
Effective rate
0.82%
of home value · Rhode Island 1.21%
Typical home value
$466,600
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Westerly's government

🏛️ Official websitewesterlyri.gov ↗
Town hall hoursMonday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Town hall phone401-348-2500

Town hall & decisions in Westerly →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Westerly

Westerly is represented in Congress by Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Seth Magaziner. Dan McKee is governor.

All of Westerly's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Westerly

Rhode Island · RI · Washington County
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