Compare towns
Foster vs Windsor Locks vs Putnam 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 homeowners (91.4%).
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
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 | Windsor Locks | Putnam | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,523Lowest |
12,579Highest |
9,292 |
10,517 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +0.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3 21% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% 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%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Foster and Windsor Locks 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% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate 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% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks 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±$18kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
| Foster and Scituate 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. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$449,300±$26kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Foster 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. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,489±$251 5% above U.S. |
| Foster and Scituate 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. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,860 24% above U.S. |
$5,265 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 38 in RI | #109 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | Windsor Locks School District | Putnam School District | Scituate |
| High school in town | None in town | Windsor Locks High School | Putnam High School | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9Lowest |
9.5 |
10.8Highest |
| 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.