Compare towns
Foster vs Plainfield vs Scituate 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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 49.9).
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 | Scituate | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,523 |
15,141Highest |
10,517 |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 47.1±3 21% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
| Scituate and Foster 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% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest 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% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate 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% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
18% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Scituate 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. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
| Foster and Scituate 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. |
$449,300±$26kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
| Scituate and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556Highest 7% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,489±$251 5% above U.S. |
— |
| Foster and Scituate 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. |
$5,265 69% 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% |
59.6%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Foster and Scituate 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% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 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 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 16% above 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% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Foster and Scituate 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 | #17 of 38 in RI | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Foster | Plainfield School District | Scituate | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Scituate High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
10.8Highest |
— |
| 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.