Compare towns
Glocester vs Lawrence 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
Glocester has the most affordable homes ($397k median).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Charlestown has the most people working from home (18.9%).
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 | Glocester | Lawrence | Charlestown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,221 |
88,736Highest |
8,051Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±4.3 31% above U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
53.3±2.1Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Charlestown and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Charlestown and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Charlestown and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,508±$7kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$109,404±$10k 36% above U.S. |
| Glocester and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,500±$28kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$525,500±$57kHighest 58% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,417±$627 about the U.S. average |
$1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,374±$134Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Lawrence and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,248Highest 68% above U.S. |
$3,422 10% above U.S. |
$3,365Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.7%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Glocester and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91% U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Charlestown 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 | #12 of 38 in RI | #278 of 282 in MA | #10 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster-Glocester · Glocester | Lawrence | Chariho |
| High school in town | Ponaganset High School | Lawrence High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
13.6Highest |
— |
| 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.