Compare towns
Foster vs Pascoag vs Charlestown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pascoag has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Charlestown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Pascoag | Charlestown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,523 |
4,410Lowest |
8,051Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+1.4% RI: +4.3% |
+2.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 47.1±3 16% above RI |
39.1±3.7Lowest 4% below RI |
53.3±2.1Highest 31% above RI |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4 RI: 18.8% |
19.7%±6.9Highest RI: 18.8% |
13%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Pascoag and Foster 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% |
21%±5.1 RI: 18.7% |
27.1%±3.5Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Charlestown and Pascoag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% RI: 37.7% |
26.1%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
40.4%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2 RI: 8.3% |
0.9%±1.1Lowest RI: 8.3% |
6.6%±2.7Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Charlestown 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 29% above RI |
$121,369±$34kHighest 38% above RI |
$109,404±$10kLowest 25% above RI |
| Pascoag 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 5% above RI |
$365,000±$47kLowest 10% below RI |
$525,500±$57kHighest 30% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556Highest 12% above RI |
$1,319±$444Lowest about the RI average |
$1,374±$134 about the RI 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 46% above RI |
$4,395 10% below RI |
$3,365Lowest 31% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest RI: 48% |
36.1%±27.4Lowest RI: 48% |
60.7%±20.6 RI: 48% |
| 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% RI: 11.2% |
11.4%Highest RI: 11.2% |
4.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4% RI: 63.6% |
72.8%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
92%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 13 yrs newer than RI |
1953Lowest 9 yrs older than RI |
1980Highest 18 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 30% above RI |
35 minHighest 39% above RI |
28 minLowest 9% above RI |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9 RI: 13% |
7.4%±4.7Lowest RI: 13% |
18.9%±3.9Highest RI: 13% |
| Charlestown and Foster 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 | — | #10 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | — | Chariho |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.