States › Rhode Island › Westerly

Is Westerly, RI expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 19 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,6088% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$102,681about $8,557/month · 18% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$448,80035% higher than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 52% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.4 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $64,320 a year. That is $31 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Rhode Island cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Rhode Island. It is number 5 of 15 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Westerly
$1,608
Central Falls
$1,850
Newport
$2,395
Valley Falls
$1,474
Newport East
$2,518
Wakefield-Peace Dale
$1,373
Cumberland Hill
$1,445

How much do households earn in Westerly?

Under $25k
11.5%
$25k–50k
12.8%
$50k–100k
37.7%
$100k–150k
16.9%
$150k+
17.8%

Share of households by yearly income. 34.7% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Westerly

SizeWesterlyU.S. average
Studio$1,605$1,338
1 bedroom$979$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,557$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,770$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,517$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Westerly overall?

Everyday prices in Rhode Island overall are 2% above the U.S. average (index 102.3, U.S. = 100).

Housing
106
Goods (food, clothes…)
97
Utilities
147
Other services
103
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Westerly, so the Rhode Island figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Westerly

🏛️ Property tax$3,784a year · 0.84% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$164a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Westerly

Commute to work22.9 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree43.3%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home71.4%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line5.7%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment2.9%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Westerly?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $1,506 a month less.

Renting
$1,608
Owning
$3,114

Owning assumes a typical $448,800 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $44,880 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Westerly, RI?

Renting in Westerly costs a median of about $1,608 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Rhode Island median is $1,704.

How much do I need to make to live in Westerly?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $64,320 a year, or $31 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Westerly cheap or expensive?

Westerly is rated Cheap: rent takes 18.8% of the typical household income of $102,681. It ranks 5th cheapest of 15 Rhode Island cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Westerly?

The median homeowner in Westerly pays $3,784 a year in property taxes, about 0.84% of the median home value.

Is Westerly more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Rhode Island are 2% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Westerly?

The median home value in Westerly is $448,800, about 4.4 times the typical yearly household income.

18,411 people live in Westerly. Numbers are typical (middle) values.