What stands out worked out from the figures below

Scituate has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.5%).

Foster has the most people working from home (17.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Scituate	Foster
People
Population	10,517Highest	4,523Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.5%Highest RI: +4.3%	-3%Lowest RI: +4.3%
Median age	49.9±4Highest 23% above RI	47.1±3Lowest 16% above RI
	Scituate and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.9%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8%	18.7%±4.4Highest RI: 18.8%
	Foster and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.2%±4.3Highest RI: 18.7%	18.5%±3.2Lowest RI: 18.7%
	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+	34.7%Lowest RI: 37.7%	36.9%Highest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.7Highest RI: 8.3%	4.1%±2.2Lowest RI: 8.3%
	Scituate and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$112,315±$23kLowest 28% above RI	$113,646±$18kHighest 29% above RI
	Foster and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$449,300±$26kHighest 11% above RI	$425,300±$30kLowest 5% above RI
	Scituate and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,489±$251Lowest 11% above RI	$1,509±$556Highest 12% above RI
	Foster and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,265Lowest 7% above RI	$7,135Highest 46% above RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.6%±25.9Lowest RI: 48%	65.8%±25.5Highest RI: 48%
	Foster and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5%Highest RI: 11.2%	4.7%Lowest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.3%Lowest RI: 63.6%	91.4%Highest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 4 yrs newer than RI	1975Highest 13 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 20% above RI	33 minHighest 30% above RI
Work from home	13.3%±5.1Lowest RI: 13%	17.7%±4.9Highest RI: 13%
	Foster and Scituate 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	#17 of 38 in RI	#22 of 38 in RI
School district	Scituate	Foster
High school in town	Scituate High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.