Compare towns
Foster vs Glocester vs Woonsocket vs Charlestown
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 highest household income ($114k).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
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 | Glocester | Woonsocket | Charlestown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,523Lowest |
10,221 |
43,521Highest |
8,051 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+2.3% RI: +4.3% |
+5%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+2.2% RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 47.1±3 16% above RI |
50.8±4.3 25% above RI |
35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
53.3±2.1Highest 31% above RI |
| Charlestown and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4 RI: 18.8% |
19.8%±4.3 RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
13%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Woonsocket and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.2 RI: 18.7% |
22.2%±3.4 RI: 18.7% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.7% |
27.1%±3.5Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Charlestown and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% RI: 37.7% |
35.7% RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
40.4%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2Lowest RI: 8.3% |
4.3%±1.9 RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9 RI: 8.3% |
6.6%±2.7Highest 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 | $113,646±$18kHighest 29% above RI |
$113,508±$7k 29% above RI |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$109,404±$10k 25% above RI |
| Foster and Glocester 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 |
$396,500±$28k about the RI average |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$525,500±$57kHighest 30% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556Highest 12% above RI |
$1,417±$627 6% above RI |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,374±$134 about the RI average |
| Foster and Glocester 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 |
$5,248 7% above RI |
$3,960 19% below RI |
$3,365Lowest 31% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest RI: 48% |
64.5%±24 RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest RI: 48% |
60.7%±20.6 RI: 48% |
| Foster and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% RI: 11.2% |
4.8% RI: 11.2% |
18.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
4.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4% RI: 63.6% |
91% RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
92%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 13 yrs newer than RI |
1975 13 yrs newer than RI |
1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI |
1980Highest 18 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 30% above RI |
34 minHighest 35% above RI |
29 min 15% above RI |
28 minLowest 9% above RI |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9 RI: 13% |
13.1%±4.7 RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
18.9%±3.9Highest 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 | #22 of 38 in RI | #12 of 38 in RI | #37 of 38 in RI | #10 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | Foster-Glocester · Glocester | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Chariho |
| High school in town | None in town | Ponaganset High School | Woonsocket High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
15.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.