Westerly is a medium-sized coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of Rhode Island. With a population of 23,288 people and five associated neighborhoods, Westerly is the 15th largest community in Rhode Island. Housing costs in Westerly are among some of the highest in the nation, although real estate prices here don't compare to real estate prices in the most expensive communities in Rhode Island.Unlike some towns where white-collar or blue-collar occupations dominate the local economy, Westerly is neither predominantly one nor the other. Instead, it has a mixed workforce of both white- and blue-collar jobs. Overall, Westerly is a town of professionals, managers, and sales and office workers. There are especially a lot of people living in Westerly who work in management occupations (13.36%), teaching (10.38%), and office and administrative support (9.31%). Of important note, Westerly is also a town of artists. Westerly has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Westerly’s character. Also of interest is that Westerly has more people living here who work in computers and math than 95% of the places in the US. A relatively large number of people in Westerly telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 11.52% of the workforce works from home. While this may seem like a small number, as a fraction of the total workforce it ranks among the highest in the country. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes. Westerly is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities. Westerly is one of the most well-educated cities in the nation. 45.85% of adults in Westerly have at least a bachelor's degree. Compare that to the average community in America, which has just 21.84% with a bachelor's degree or higher. The per capita income in Westerly in 2022 was $59,151, which is wealthy relative to Rhode Island and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $236,604 for a family of four. The people who call Westerly home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Westerly residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Westerly include Italian, Irish, English, German, and French. The most common language spoken in Westerly is English. Other important languages spoken here include Polish and Italian.
