Compare towns
Foster vs Ogunquit vs Smithfield
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 kids (18.7% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Smithfield has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
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.
| Measure | Foster | Ogunquit | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,523 |
1,379Lowest |
22,233Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3 21% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Foster and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,646±$18k 41% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit 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±$30kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12k 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556Highest 7% above U.S. |
— | $1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Foster and Smithfield 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. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Foster and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 38 in RI | — | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | — | Smithfield |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.8 |
| 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.