Compare towns
Foster vs Plainfield vs Glocester 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 highest household income ($114k).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Glocester has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Charlestown has the most expensive homes ($526k 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 | Plainfield | Glocester | Charlestown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,523Lowest |
15,141Highest |
10,221 |
8,051 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3 21% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
50.8±4.3 31% above U.S. |
53.3±2.1Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Charlestown and Glocester 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% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Glocester and Plainfield 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% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Charlestown and Glocester 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Charlestown and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,646±$18kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$113,508±$7k 41% above U.S. |
$109,404±$10k 36% 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±$30k 28% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$396,500±$28k 19% above U.S. |
$525,500±$57kHighest 58% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556Highest 7% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,417±$627 about the U.S. average |
$1,374±$134 about the U.S. average |
| Foster and Glocester 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. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$5,248 68% above U.S. |
$3,365Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.7%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Foster and Glocester 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% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91% U.S.: 65.2% |
92%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #12 of 38 in RI | #10 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | Plainfield School District | Foster-Glocester · Glocester | Chariho |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Ponaganset High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.