Compare towns
Foster vs Plainfield vs Plainville 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%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
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 | Plainville | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,523 |
15,141 |
17,551Highest |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | — |
| Median age | 47.1±3Highest 21% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
| Foster and Plainville 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% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling 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%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
18% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville 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. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
| Foster and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$30kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556Highest 7% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
— |
| Foster and Plainfield 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. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Foster and Plainville 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% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Foster and Sterling 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Foster | Plainfield School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Plainville High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.4Highest |
— |
| 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.