Compare towns
Foster vs Plainfield vs West Greenwich
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 most affordable homes ($272k median).
West Greenwich has the most expensive homes ($535k 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 | West Greenwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,523Lowest |
15,141Highest |
6,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3Highest 21% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43±3.8 11% above U.S. |
| Foster and West Greenwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| West Greenwich 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% |
20.2%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Greenwich 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% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield 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 41% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$135,625±$17kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| West Greenwich 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. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$535,400±$68kHighest 61% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556 7% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,414±$206Highest 71% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,135Highest 129% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,491 108% 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% |
47.5%±39.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Foster and West Greenwich 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% |
2.3%Lowest 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% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Foster and West Greenwich 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 | #19 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | Plainfield School District | The Greene School · Exeter-West Greenwich |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Exeter-West Greenwich Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.