Westerly
Westerly is located on the southern tip of Rhode Island, bordering the southeastern corner of Connecticut. The Town has an atmosphere of an old New England village, and a unique history in the annals of U.S. History. The Indian name for Westerly was Misquamicut - a place for taking salmon. The Towns of Charlestown, Hopkinton, and Richmond were later taken from the Town of Westerly.
Westerly was the first town incorporated in the King's Province on May 13, 1669. In its early beginnings, Westerly was the frontier town of the colony. Out of this beginning, many diversified industries grew, but Westerly has been best known for the granite that was once taken from its quarries for building purposes in neighboring towns and cities, and for monuments in various parts of the country.
Westerly is also known as a vacation area because of its 7 mile strip of beach comprised of
Misquamicut State beach, Westerly Town beach, and many private beaches. Another famous
attraction is Watch Hill. It is almost completely surrounded by the ocean and bay with beautiful
formations of rocks and sandy beaches. Rowing, swimming, ocean sailing, fishing, and hiking
make this a favorite resort area.
In 2002, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named Westerly as one of the 12 Most Distinctive Destinations in the country. The unique, well-preserved architecture downtown, coupled with 55 historic sites, such as the Babcock-Smith House and Flying Horse Carousel, makes it no surprise that Westerly received this outstanding designation.
Total Population: 22,966
Square Miles (land): 30
Age Distribution
<15 years: 20% 16-24 years: 11% 25-44 years: 30% 45-64 years: 23% >65: 16%
Education
Some college/ Associate’s Degree: 27%
Bachelor’s Degree: 15%
Master’s, Professional or Doctorate Degrees: 10%
Housing
Percent of owner-occupied units: 53%
Average Number of household members: 2.6
Average number of rooms: 6.5
Median year homes were built: 1971
Median home value(2006): $247,500
Income
Median household income: $44,613
School Data
2005 Assessment Results: Westerly High School |
| | Math: Skills | Math: Concepts | Math: Problem Solving | Reading: Understanding | Reading: Analysis | Writing: Effectiveness | Writing: Conventions |
% of Proficient Students: Westerly | 67% | 55% | 55% | 66% | 62% | 55% | 81% |
& of Proficient Students: RI Average | 57% | 38% | 39% | 51% | 44% | 42% | 71% |
| | Math SAT Average | Verbal SAT Average | % of Students taking SATs |
Westerly | 500 | 512 | 57% |
|
RI | 501 | 495 | 56% |
| | Graduation Rate: | 91% |
| | Student/Teacher Ratio: | 10:1 |
All statistics gathered from Information Works!, Rhode Islands annual report on public education, and is from the school year 04-05.
This school is high performing with caution.
All census data as of 2000.