Town · Rhode Island
Foster, Rhode Island
Foster, town, in Providence County, Rhode Island. Foster had 4,628 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,469 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,523 (±20). GEOID 4400727460.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,628
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,469 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,523 ±20
Median household income
$113,646
±$18,117 (90% margin)
Rhode Island: $87,796
Median home value
$425,300
±$30,236 (90% margin)
Rhode Island: $404,200
Median gross rent
$1,509
±$556 (90% margin)
Rhode Island: $1,342
Where is Foster and what county is it in?
Foster is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island. It covers 50.8 square miles of land, 88 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Foster: Foster Center (CDP, 333 in 2020). Part of Clayville (CDP) also lies in it.
Foster is in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 6 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Foster is the same area as Census Tract 133 of Providence County: the tract's figures are Foster's own.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Foster, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,628 people lived in Foster on July 1, 2025, up 3.6% since 2020, faster than Rhode Island (+1.6%). The 2020 Census counted 4,469 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,523 (±20).
| Measure | Foster | Providence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,523±20 | 664,854 | −190 |
| Households | 1,503±134 | 259,210 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.00±0.27 | 2.46 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,579±145 | 277,740 | −245 |
Foster's population since 2000
From 4,274 in 2000 to 4,628 in 2025: up 8.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Foster as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Foster?
The median resident of Foster is 47.1 years old; 18.7% are under 18 and 18.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 85.6%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 11.2%. 2.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Foster | Providence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.1±3.0 | 38.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.7%±2.6 pts | 20.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.5%±2.8 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Male | 49.5%±4.6 pts | 49.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.6%±0.7 pts | 25.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 85.6%±6.7 pts | 56.5% | −7.7 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.2%±2.3 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.1 pts | 4.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.3%±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 11.2%±6.1 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.4%±1.2 pts | 20.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.8%±4.2 pts | 32.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.2%±1.7 pts | 4.0% | – |
| With a disability | 12.3%±2.8 pts | 14.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.3%±2.1 pts | 5.4% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.8%±3.4 pts | 86.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 36.9%±7.0 pts | 32.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 17.5%±4.3 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 96.0%±2.0 pts | 87.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0%±1.1 pts | 3.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Foster earn?
Half of Foster's 1,503 households earn less than $113,646 a year (±$18,117), against $78,787 in Providence County and $87,796 in Rhode Island. In 2015-2019 it was $110,570 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 4.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Foster | Providence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $113,646±$18,117 | $78,787 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $130,237±$13,905 | $103,330 | – |
| Per capita income | $46,054±$4,853 | $41,523 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 4.7%±2.8 pts | 13.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 4.5%±7.3 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.2%±4.0 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.7%±2.2 pts | 94.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.5%±5.0 pts | 90.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Foster?
Owners occupy 91.4% of Foster's occupied homes and renters 8.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $425,300 by its owner (±$30,236). The median renter pays $1,509 a month including utilities, and 57.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Foster | Providence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $425,300±$30,236 | $373,600 | +$60,768 |
| Median gross rent | $1,509±$556 | $1,312 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 57.9%±27.6 pts | 37.0% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,512±$236 | $2,152 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 91.4%±3.8 pts | 56.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 8.6%±3.8 pts | 43.1% | – |
| Housing units | 1,579±145 | 277,740 | −245 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.6%±0.9 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±30.9 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 94.5%±3.0 pts | 45.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0%±3.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.5%±0.9 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.8%±5.4 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 20.1%±6.0 pts | 35.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.6%±1.6 pts | 11.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Foster building?
Builders took permits for 6 new housing units in Foster in 2025 (6 in single-family houses), 1.3 per 1,000 residents against 1.6 across Rhode Island.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Foster work and get to work?
75.1% of Foster's workers drive alone and 17.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 33.2 minutes.
| Measure | Foster | Providence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.0%±4.4 pts | 65.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1%±1.8 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 75.1%±6.2 pts | 70.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.5%±2.8 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±2.0 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Walked | 0.0%±2.0 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 17.7%±5.1 pts | 12.3% | +10.4 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 33.2 min±2.7 | 25.9 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Foster?
1 census tract lies mostly in Foster (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 133Providence County | 4,523 | $113,646 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Foster) · Census block assignment files
How does Foster compare with other places in Rhode Island?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Foster is the 2,462nd-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 29th-most populous of 31 in Rhode Island.
Foster ranks 15th of 57 places in Rhode Island with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 29th | 31 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 5th | 39 |
| Residents per square mile | 57th | 57 |
| Median household income | 15th | 57 |
| Per capita income | 43rd | 57 |
| Median home value | 31st | 56 |
| Median gross rent | 14th | 51 |
| Poverty rate | 34th | 45 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33rd | 57 |
| Median age | 19th | 57 |
| Owner-occupied share | 6th | 56 |
| Work from home | 9th | 49 |
| Travel time to work | 9th | 57 |
Foster's figures with every place in Rhode Island (CSV)
Every place in Rhode Island, sortable · Compare Foster with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Foster?
20 of the 57 figures for Foster on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Foster are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.