Compare towns
Foster vs Sterling vs Coventry
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%).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Coventry has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Sterling | Coventry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,523 |
3,629Lowest |
35,907Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3Highest 21% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
44±1.1 13% above U.S. |
| Foster and Coventry 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% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Foster 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% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Coventry 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% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Coventry 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±$18kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$102,946±$8k 28% above U.S. |
| Foster and Coventry 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. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$356,200±$11k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556Highest 7% above U.S. |
— | $1,206±$155Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Foster and Coventry 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. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,099 63% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±11.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Foster and Coventry 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% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±2.2Lowest 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #24 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | Sterling School District | Coventry |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Coventry High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.3 |
| 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.