The Town FilesFoster, Rhode Island
Town in Providence County · population 4,469 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $425,300
- Household income
- $113,646
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 62 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 47.1
Foster is a town of 4,469 people in Providence County, Rhode Island. The median home is worth $425,300, close to the typical Rhode Island town ($432,850). It ranks better for families than 86% of Rhode Island towns, quieter than 86% of Rhode Island towns.
How Foster ranks
Percentile among Rhode Island towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Rhode Island towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Foster is worth $425,300, close to the typical Rhode Island town ($432,850). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $113,646, which is more affordable than 79% of Rhode Island towns. Median rent is $1,509 a month. 91.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Foster | Typical Rhode Island town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $425,300 | $432,850 |
| Median rent | $1,509 | $1,362 |
| Median household income | $113,646 | $102,946 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 4.3× |
| Homeownership | 91.4% | 75.9% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Foster
| People | Foster | Typical Rhode Island town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.1 | 43.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.5% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.9% | 40.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.7% | 6.2% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 17.7% | 12.4% |
| Average commute | 33.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Foster
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 18.5°F. About 53.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 62.0 inches of snow (typical Rhode Island town: 36.6 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 133 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Foster since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical Rhode Island town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on August 18, 2023 about 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 13, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 3, 2025.
Severe weather in Providence County since 1996
Providence County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for other, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4765: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4766: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| January 7, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4753: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| May 12, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4653: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| August 21, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3563: Hurricane Henri |
Jobs and pay in Providence County
Providence County had 288,107 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,852 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Foster itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Foster
1 public school with 226 students, about 9.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capt. Isaac Paine El. School | PK-5 | 226 | 9.4 |
Towns near Foster
- Scituate, RI5.5 mi · 10,384 people · home $449,300
- Killingly, CT6.5 mi · 17,752 people · home $288,600
- Coventry, RI7.3 mi · 35,688 people · home $356,200
- Sterling, CT7.4 mi · 3,578 people · home $283,400
- Glocester, RI7.7 mi · 9,974 people · home $396,500
- Danielson, CT7.8 mi · 4,155 people · home $224,600
- Moosup, CT8.8 mi · 3,113 people · home $270,900
- Plainfield, CT10.8 mi · 14,973 people · home $272,100
Foster questions
Is Foster, Rhode Island a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Foster scores better for retirees than 62% of Rhode Island towns and quieter than 86%. 18.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.1).
How much does a house cost in Foster?
The median owner-occupied home in Foster is valued at $425,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $113,646, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,509 a month.
What is the weather like in Foster?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 18.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.8 inches of precipitation a year and 62.0 inches of snow.
Does Foster get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Foster since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on August 18, 2023. The typical Rhode Island town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)