Compare towns
Charlestown vs Woonsocket vs Foster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Charlestown has the most expensive homes ($526k median).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Foster has the highest household income ($114k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Charlestown | Woonsocket | Foster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,051 |
43,521Highest |
4,523Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% RI: +4.3% |
+5%Highest RI: +4.3% |
-3%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 53.3±2.1Highest 31% above RI |
35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
47.1±3 16% above RI |
| Kids under 18 | 13%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
18.7%±4.4 RI: 18.8% |
| Woonsocket and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.1%±3.5Highest RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.7% |
18.5%±3.2 RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4%Highest RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
36.9% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±2.7Highest RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9 RI: 8.3% |
4.1%±2.2Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| Charlestown and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,404±$10k 25% above RI |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$113,646±$18kHighest 29% above RI |
| Foster and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $525,500±$57kHighest 30% above RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$425,300±$30k 5% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,374±$134 about the RI average |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,509±$556Highest 12% above RI |
| Foster and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,365Lowest 31% below RI |
$3,960 19% below RI |
$7,135Highest 46% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.7%±20.6 RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest RI: 48% |
65.8%±25.5Highest RI: 48% |
| Foster and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
18.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
4.7% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92%Highest RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
91.4% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 18 yrs newer than RI |
1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI |
1975 13 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 9% above RI |
29 min 15% above RI |
33 minHighest 30% above RI |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.9Highest RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
17.7%±4.9 RI: 13% |
| Charlestown and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI | #22 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Chariho | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Foster |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
RI average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.