Compare towns
Foster vs Mansfield vs Glocester
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 expensive homes ($425k median).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Glocester has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Mansfield | Glocester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,523Lowest |
25,358Highest |
10,221 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3 21% above U.S. |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
50.8±4.3Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Glocester 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% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Glocester 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% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Glocester 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% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,646±$18kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$113,508±$7k 41% above U.S. |
| 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±$30kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$335,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average |
$396,500±$28k 19% above U.S. |
| Foster and Glocester 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. |
$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,417±$627Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Mansfield 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. |
$5,727 84% above U.S. |
$5,248Lowest 68% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±24Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mansfield 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% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 38 in RI | #45 of 149 in CT | #12 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Foster-Glocester · Glocester |
| High school in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | Ponaganset High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.