What stands out worked out from the figures below

Foster has the most people working from home (17.7%).

Johnston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Foster	Johnston
People
Population	4,523Lowest	29,835Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+2.8%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	47.1±3Highest 16% above RI	44.5±2.5Lowest 10% above RI
	Foster and Johnston 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%	17.5%±2.4Lowest RI: 18.8%
	Foster and Johnston 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%	22.1%±2.6Highest RI: 18.7%
	Johnston 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%Highest RI: 37.7%	28.9%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±2.2Lowest RI: 8.3%	6.1%±1.6Highest RI: 8.3%
	Johnston and Foster 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	$91,866±$6kLowest 5% above RI
	Foster and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$425,300±$30kHighest 5% above RI	$355,500±$13kLowest 12% below RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,509±$556Highest 12% above RI	$1,275±$132Lowest 5% below RI
	Foster and Johnston 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	$4,614Lowest 6% below RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65.8%±25.5Highest RI: 48%	38.1%±8.7Lowest RI: 48%
	Foster and Johnston 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%	7.9%Highest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.4%Highest RI: 63.6%	75.9%Lowest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 13 yrs newer than RI	1968Lowest 6 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 30% above RI	24 minLowest 7% below RI
Work from home	17.7%±4.9Highest RI: 13%	9.9%±2.3Lowest RI: 13%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 38 in RI	#32 of 38 in RI
School district	Foster	Johnston
High school in town	None in town	Johnston Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.3
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.