Compare towns
Foster vs Scituate vs Glocester vs Richmond
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Foster has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Scituate has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Glocester has the most affordable homes ($397k median).
Richmond has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Scituate | Glocester | Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,523Lowest |
10,517Highest |
10,221 |
8,142 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+0.5% RI: +4.3% |
+2.3% RI: +4.3% |
+4%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 47.1±3 16% above RI |
49.9±4 23% above RI |
50.8±4.3Highest 25% above RI |
42.7±4.1Lowest 5% above RI |
| Glocester and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4 RI: 18.8% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
19.8%±4.3 RI: 18.8% |
22%±4.8Highest RI: 18.8% |
| Richmond and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.2 RI: 18.7% |
25.2%±4.3Highest RI: 18.7% |
22.2%±3.4 RI: 18.7% |
15.7%±3.2Lowest RI: 18.7% |
| Scituate 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% RI: 37.7% |
34.7%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
35.7% RI: 37.7% |
49.5%Highest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2Lowest RI: 8.3% |
4.2%±1.7 RI: 8.3% |
4.3%±1.9 RI: 8.3% |
7.1%±2.9Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Richmond and Glocester 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 29% above RI |
$112,315±$23kLowest 28% above RI |
$113,508±$7k 29% above RI |
$124,653±$27kHighest 42% above RI |
| Richmond 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 5% above RI |
$449,300±$26kHighest 11% above RI |
$396,500±$28kLowest about the RI average |
$435,800±$22k 8% above RI |
| Scituate and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556 12% above RI |
$1,489±$251 11% above RI |
$1,417±$627Lowest 6% above RI |
$1,580±$777Highest 18% above RI |
| 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 46% above RI |
$5,265 7% above RI |
$5,248Lowest 7% above RI |
$6,362 30% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest RI: 48% |
59.6%±25.9 RI: 48% |
64.5%±24 RI: 48% |
0%±42.9Lowest RI: 48% |
| 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% RI: 11.2% |
5%Highest RI: 11.2% |
4.8% RI: 11.2% |
3.2%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4% RI: 63.6% |
87.3%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
91% RI: 63.6% |
96.6%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 13 yrs newer than RI |
1966Lowest 4 yrs newer than RI |
1975 13 yrs newer than RI |
1985Highest 23 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 30% above RI |
31 minLowest 20% above RI |
34 minHighest 35% above RI |
34 min 33% above RI |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9Highest RI: 13% |
13.3%±5.1 RI: 13% |
13.1%±4.7 RI: 13% |
11%±3.8Lowest RI: 13% |
| 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 | #17 of 38 in RI | #12 of 38 in RI | #16 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | Scituate | Foster-Glocester · Glocester | Chariho |
| High school in town | None in town | Scituate High School | Ponaganset High School | Chariho High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
RI 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.