Compare towns
Foster vs Woonsocket vs Glocester
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%).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Glocester has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | Woonsocket | Glocester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,523Lowest |
43,521Highest |
10,221 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+5%Highest RI: +4.3% |
+2.3% RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 47.1±3 16% above RI |
35.7±1.3Lowest 12% below RI |
50.8±4.3Highest 25% above RI |
| Glocester and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4Lowest RI: 18.8% |
23.3%±2Highest RI: 18.8% |
19.8%±4.3 RI: 18.8% |
| Woonsocket 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% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest RI: 18.7% |
22.2%±3.4Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Glocester 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 RI: 37.7% |
19.8%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
35.7% RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2Lowest RI: 8.3% |
5.1%±0.9Highest RI: 8.3% |
4.3%±1.9 RI: 8.3% |
| Woonsocket 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±$18kHighest 29% above RI |
$61,059±$5kLowest 30% below RI |
$113,508±$7k 29% above RI |
| Foster and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$30kHighest 5% above RI |
$311,000±$15kLowest 23% below RI |
$396,500±$28k about the RI average |
| Foster and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556Highest 12% above RI |
$1,161±$48Lowest 13% below RI |
$1,417±$627 6% above RI |
| Foster and Glocester 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 |
$3,960Lowest 19% below RI |
$5,248 7% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest RI: 48% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest RI: 48% |
64.5%±24 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%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
18.7%Highest RI: 11.2% |
4.8% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest RI: 63.6% |
37.2%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
91% RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 13 yrs newer than RI |
1952Lowest 10 yrs older than RI |
1975Highest 13 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 30% above RI |
29 minLowest 15% above RI |
34 minHighest 35% above RI |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9Highest RI: 13% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest RI: 13% |
13.1%±4.7 RI: 13% |
| Foster and Glocester 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #12 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Foster-Glocester · Glocester |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | Ponaganset High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.