Best Community #4: West Bay Winner

Friday, June 24, 2011

GoLocalProv Best Communities Team

 

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Warwick

Next time a plane lands at TF Green, perhaps the flight attendant will say, "Welcome to the town that beat out Providence in GoLocalProv's Best Communities rankings for 2011." Yes, the state's 2nd-largest city combines industry, commercial zones, varied residential neighborhoods both wooded and waterfront, offering affordable living to Rhode Islanders working there and elsewhere in the state. The result? Fourth place in this year's rankings, an upward move from last year's #8.

It takes consistency to hold a spot this high in the rankings, and Warwick accomplishes this by remaining remarkably affordable (4th overall), and bringing big-city offerings to the Arts & Culture table, yielding another 4th

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place ranking. Warwick has room for improvement in the Education area (28th, but far above fellow big-city Providence's 39th place), and Economic Condition (27th, again outperforming the Capital City's last-place finish).

Warwick by the numbers

Established: 1642
Population: 82,762
Median household income: $61,114
Median housing price: $168,000

2011 Best Communities rankings

Overall ranking: 4
Affordability ranking: 4
Education ranking: 28
Economic condition ranking: 27
Safety ranking: 34
Arts & Culture ranking: 4

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History in a nutshell:

The community of Warwick was founded when Samuel Gorton and a few others bought more than 100 square miles of land from the Mahament Indians. Today Warwick’s area comprises about 50 square miles due to the loss of Coventry in 1741 and West Warwick in 1913. The city is named Warwick after the Earl of Warwick, who was integral in gaining an official charter in 1647. Behind Providence, Warwick is Rhode Island’s second largest city. It is situated a short way from the capital and is easily accessible through the highway system. Warwick’s location in the center of the state also makes it a prime location for T.F. Green Airport. Its easy accessibility and central location make it an area ripe for continued industrial, commercial, and population growth.

Famous residents:

Bill Almon, MLB Baseball player
Rocco Baldelli, MLB Baseball Player
Will Blackmon, NFL player
Damian Costantino, NCAA record holder with hits in 60 consecutive games
Sara Decosta, US Women's Hockey Goalie
George Sears Greene, Civil War general
Nathanael Greene, Revolutionary War general and second in command to George Washington
Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, paranormal investigators, founders of The Atlantic Paranormal Society, and hosts of Ghost Hunters
Michaela McManus, actress
Walt Mossberg, technology editor for the Wall Street Journal
Raymond Nels Nelson Bureau Chief of The Providence Journal and Evening Bulletin
Craig Price, notorious alleged murderer from Buttonwoods
Chris Terreri, NHL goalie
Dan Wheeler, Major League pitcher attended Pilgrim High School
Doug White, former NBC 10 News Anchor
James Woods, actor

Additional research by Nate Holterman

 

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