Compare towns
Sterling vs Woonsocket vs Killingly 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
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Killingly has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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.
| Measure | Sterling | Woonsocket | Killingly | Foster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,629Lowest |
43,521Highest |
17,867 |
4,523 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
47.1±3Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Killingly and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$113,646±$18kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Foster and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$425,300±$30kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,509±$556Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Foster and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,551 46% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,135Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
65.8%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Foster and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Foster and Sterling 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI | #136 of 149 in CT | #22 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Sterling School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Foster |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | Killingly High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.