Compare towns
Foster vs Douglas vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Foster has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Douglas has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Scituate has the shortest commute (31 min average).
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 | Douglas | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,523Lowest |
9,207 |
10,517Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3 21% above U.S. |
44±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
| 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%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Douglas 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±$18k 41% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23kLowest 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$30kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$449,300±$26k 35% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556Highest 7% above U.S. |
$1,503±$697 6% above U.S. |
$1,489±$251Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Foster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,135Highest 129% above U.S. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
$5,265Lowest 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Douglas 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 | #22 of 38 in RI | #177 of 282 in MA | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | Douglas | Scituate |
| High school in town | None in town | Douglas High School | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
10.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.