Compare towns
Foster vs Ogunquit vs Sterling vs Charlestown
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 housing (typical home built 1975).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
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 | Ogunquit | Sterling | Charlestown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,523 |
1,379Lowest |
3,629 |
8,051Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3 21% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
53.3±2.1 37% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
13%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Charlestown and Ogunquit 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. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$109,404±$10k 36% 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±$30k 28% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$525,500±$57k 58% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556Highest 7% above U.S. |
— | — | $1,374±$134Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Foster and Charlestown 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. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$3,365Lowest 8% 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% |
32%±18.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.7%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Foster and Charlestown 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% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 38 in RI | — | #119 of 149 in CT | #10 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | — | Sterling School District | Chariho |
| 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 | 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.