Compare towns
Scituate vs Sturbridge vs Foster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Scituate has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Foster has the most homeowners (91.4%).
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 | Scituate | Sturbridge | Foster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,517Highest |
9,960 |
4,523Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6 21% above U.S. |
47.1±3Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Sturbridge 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sturbridge and Scituate 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 39% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$113,646±$18k 41% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $449,300±$26kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
$425,300±$30kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,489±$251 5% above U.S. |
$1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,509±$556Highest 7% 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 | $5,265Lowest 69% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
$7,135Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.6%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65.8%±25.5Highest 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 | 5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sturbridge and Foster 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #22 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Scituate | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Foster |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Highest |
7.7Lowest |
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| 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.