Compare towns
Foster vs Hope Valley vs Sterling
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 oldest population (median age 47.1).
Hope Valley has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k 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 | Hope Valley | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,523Highest |
2,297Lowest |
3,629 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 47.1±3Highest 21% above U.S. |
41.9±10.6 8% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Foster and Hope Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Hope Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±7 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Foster and Hope Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Foster and Sterling 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. |
$101,932±$23kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
| Foster and Sterling 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. |
$447,500±$24kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Hope Valley and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556 7% above U.S. |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,135Highest 129% above U.S. |
$6,448 107% above U.S. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±28.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hope Valley and Foster 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% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±12 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Foster and Hope Valley 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 | — | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Foster | — | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.