Compare towns
Foster vs Richmond vs Sutton vs Scituate
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 affordable homes ($425k median).
Richmond has the most kids (22% under 18).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 49.9).
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 | Richmond | Sutton | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,523Lowest |
8,142 |
9,452 |
10,517Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3 21% above U.S. |
42.7±4.1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
| 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% |
22%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Richmond and Sutton 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% |
15.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Sutton 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% |
49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Richmond 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±$18k 41% above U.S. |
$124,653±$27k 54% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23kLowest 39% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$30kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$435,800±$22k 31% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$449,300±$26k 35% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556 7% above U.S. |
$1,580±$777Highest 12% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,489±$251 5% above U.S. |
| Richmond and Foster 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. |
$6,362 104% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$5,265Lowest 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±42.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton 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 | #16 of 38 in RI | #105 of 282 in MA | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | Chariho | Sutton | Scituate |
| High school in town | None in town | Chariho High School | Sutton High School | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
12.6 |
10.8Lowest |
| 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.