Compare towns
Foster vs Sterling vs Upton vs Charlestown
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Charlestown has the shortest commute (28 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 | Upton | Charlestown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,523 |
3,629Lowest |
8,189Highest |
8,051 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3 21% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
53.3±2.1Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
13%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Sterling 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Charlestown and Upton 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% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Charlestown 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. |
$102,695±$12kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$109,404±$10k 36% above U.S. |
| Upton 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. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$525,500±$57k 58% above U.S. |
| Upton and Charlestown 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. |
— | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,374±$134 about the U.S. average |
| Foster and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,135 129% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,365Lowest 8% 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% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.7%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Foster and Charlestown 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% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Charlestown 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #10 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | Sterling School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Chariho |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.