Compare towns
Foster vs Mendon 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 most people working from home (17.7%).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
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 | Mendon | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,523 |
6,325Highest |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 47.1±3Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Foster and Mendon 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% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Foster and Mendon 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% |
46.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon 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±$18k 41% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Foster 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. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556Lowest 7% above U.S. |
$1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
— |
| Mendon and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,135 129% above U.S. |
$7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon 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% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Foster and Mendon 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Foster | Mendon-Upton | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | None 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.