Warwick, Rhode Island

Located in south-central Warwick on Greenwich Bay, the aptly named Oakland Beach places you directly on the water. It's a great place for walking along the coastline, oceanic kayaking, swimming, or fishing. Iggy’s Boardwalk and Top of the Bay, two of the city’s best restaurants, are situated here. It is a competitive housing market, with a median list price of $367,500. Younger residents attend Oakland Beach Elementary School.

Located in eastern Warwick, Conimicut provides another beachside community. Ease of access to the water is a high selling point for the area. The village traces its roots back to the founding of Warwick in 1643, making it an ideal home for history buffs with an emphasis on colonial history. Housing prices are comparable to Oakland Beach, if slightly less expensive. Warwick Neck Elementary School educates younger residents before they move on to one of the city’s secondary schools.

Located on a small peninsula on the Providence River, Gaspee Point is the location of the Gaspee Affair, the first act of aggression during the American Revolution. With a public beach, a park, a playground, and excellent saltwater fishing, Gaspee Beach provides a secluded and picturesque seaside community. Average housing cost is between $200,000 and $400,000. It does not have its own elementary school, meaning residents have a short commute to school.

Pawtuxet Village lies between Warwick and nearby Cranston, where the Pawtuxet River flows into the Providence River and Narragansett Bay. It's where state founder Roger Williams first made his home, and is also home to the Gaspee Day celebration, making it yet another gem for history enthusiasts. It is also a foodie’s paradise, with a tea room, a Parisian cafe, an Irish pub, a Thai restaurant, and a creperie, amongst many others. Median real estate cost is $383,154, while rental price average cost is $2,228. Elementary schools in Pawtuxet Village include Edgewood Highland, Edwards S. Rhodes, and ET Wyman, and Pilgrim High School also calls the area home.

Norwood boasts some of the strongest communities in all of Warwick. Between the Boys and Girls Club, one of the city’s oldest public library branches, the Norwood Neighborhood Association, Norwood Field’s baseball diamond and basketball court, and the highest concentration of churches in the city, Norwood will welcome new neighbors with open arms. Median sale price for homes in Norwood is $360,400. Students attend Norwood Elementary before moving onto one of the city’s secondary school options.