Compare towns
Foster vs Coventry vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Foster has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Coventry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 49.9).
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 | Foster | Coventry | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,523Lowest |
35,907Highest |
10,517 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+1.9%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+0.5% RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 47.1±3 16% above RI |
44±1.1Lowest 8% above RI |
49.9±4Highest 23% above RI |
| Scituate and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4Highest RI: 18.8% |
18.2%±1.8 RI: 18.8% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Foster and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
19.2%±1.6 RI: 18.7% |
25.2%±4.3Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest RI: 37.7% |
31.2%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
34.7% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2Lowest RI: 8.3% |
5.5%±1.2Highest RI: 8.3% |
4.2%±1.7 RI: 8.3% |
| Coventry and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,646±$18kHighest 29% above RI |
$102,946±$8kLowest 17% above RI |
$112,315±$23k 28% above RI |
| Foster and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$30k 5% above RI |
$356,200±$11kLowest 12% below RI |
$449,300±$26kHighest 11% above RI |
| Scituate and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556Highest 12% above RI |
$1,206±$155Lowest 10% below RI |
$1,489±$251 11% above RI |
| Foster and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,135Highest 46% above RI |
$5,099Lowest 4% above RI |
$5,265 7% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest RI: 48% |
51.5%±11.1Lowest RI: 48% |
59.6%±25.9 RI: 48% |
| Foster and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
7.4%Highest RI: 11.2% |
5% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest RI: 63.6% |
82%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
87.3% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 13 yrs newer than RI |
1973 11 yrs newer than RI |
1966Lowest 4 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 30% above RI |
26 minLowest about the RI average |
31 min 20% above RI |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9Highest RI: 13% |
11.3%±2.2Lowest RI: 13% |
13.3%±5.1 RI: 13% |
| Foster and Scituate 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 | #22 of 38 in RI | #24 of 38 in RI | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | Coventry | Scituate |
| High school in town | None in town | Coventry High School | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| 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.