.jpg)
Is Westerly, RI a Good Place to Live?
Westerly is a small city of 18,272 in Rhode Island, with a median household income of $86,343 and a 6.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 101 (US average = 100), which is 1% above the national average.
Strengths: Westerly stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Westerly is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Westerly city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 100.9Westerly's overall cost of living index is 100.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Westerly costs roughly 1% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Westerly, RI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $377,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,283 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 70.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $86,343 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeWesterly's violent crime rate is 63.7 per 100,000 residents — 83% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Westerly is served primarily by Westerly. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Westerly, RI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Westerly | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 10.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 92.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Westerly sees average highs of 39.5°F in January and 81.6°F in July, with 42.8 inches of annual precipitation and 24.5 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Westerly, RI |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 39.5°F |
| Average High — July | 81.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.5" |
Demographics
| Metric | Westerly, RI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,272 | — |
| Median Age | 50.6 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 24.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 89.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.8% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.4% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 13.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 24.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Westerly
Westerly, RI is covered by 1 ZIP code: