Compare towns
Foster vs Enfield vs Charlestown
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 highest household income ($114k).
Enfield has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Charlestown has the most expensive homes ($526k median).
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 | Enfield | Charlestown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,523Lowest |
41,090Highest |
8,051 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3 21% above U.S. |
40.7±1.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
53.3±2.1Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
13%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Enfield 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% |
18%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Charlestown and Enfield 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 41% above U.S. |
$90,404±$5kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$109,404±$10k 36% above U.S. |
| Foster and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$30k 28% above U.S. |
$252,900±$7kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$525,500±$57kHighest 58% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556 7% above U.S. |
$1,574±$83Highest 11% above U.S. |
$1,374±$134Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Enfield and Foster 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. |
$5,360 72% above U.S. |
$3,365Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.7%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Foster and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #22 of 38 in RI | #123 of 149 in CT | #10 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | Capitol Region Education Council · Enfield School District | Chariho |
| High school in town | None in town | Enfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| 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.