Photo: Pi.1415926535 · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Rhode Island, Foster is healthier than 32% of graded towns
Foster differs from Rhode Island on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 02825, 02857. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Foster
Rhode Island sets a high bar
Foster is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns, but only 32% of the 38 Rhode Island towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Foster’s lead shrinks
Foster is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns, but 52% of the 6,663 towns with similar household incomes ($85K–$142K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Fewer Foster adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Rhode Island. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Nearly everyone in Foster is insured
Only 5.1% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 8.2% across Rhode Island. Checkups ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Rhode Island figure falls outside Foster’s likely range; Foster’s figures come from ZIP codes 02825, 02857, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Foster’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Foster is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns, #26 of 38 in Rhode Island. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 83% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 56%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Foster’s median household income is $113,646; among the 6,663 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($85K–$142K), it’s healthier than 52%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.7% of Foster adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.2% across Rhode Island.
Keeping up with care
Share of Foster adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Rhode Island.
Out of every 100 Foster adults…
Foster runs below RI on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Foster
1 community health center in Foster, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Foster; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Rhode Island
Share of adults, with the Rhode Island figure marked.
14 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
How Foster adults are doing
About the same as Rhode Island on each measure.
1 in 3 Foster adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Foster and the towns around it
Foster’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 6 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Foster adults live with a disability (Rhode Island 27.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Foster
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Foster is better than Rhode Island on 8 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Rhode Island figure falls inside Foster’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Foster | RI | U.S. | vs RI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.2%13–17.8 | 17.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.6–15.1 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.8–18.9 | 16.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.1%26.4–36.2 | 31.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.6%9.2–12.1 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%31.3–37.7 | 33.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.1%33–39.4 | 34.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.1%24.5–29.8 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.5%11.2–13.8 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.6–10.3 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.5%5.7–7.3 | 6.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.8%5.7–8.1 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.7–3.5 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.5%9.5–13.6 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.4%9.2–13.9 | 11.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.3%19.7–27.5 | 25.4% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.2%15–19.5 | 16.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.7%30.4–39 | 35% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.1%4–6.4 | 8.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.7%82.2–86.8 | 84.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 74.7%71.9–77.3 | 71.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.1%89.6–92.3 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.4%76.7–81.8 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 75.4%72–78.5 | 73.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 84.5%80.3–88.2 | 82.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.1%21.2–27.2 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.6%31.1–38.1 | 35% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.1%18.4–24 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.1%9.2–13.2 | 15.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10%8.5–11.6 | 13.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.3–7.3 | 8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.1%5.2–7.1 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.7%7.7–11.9 | 13.2% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.9%23.5–30.6 | 27.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12%10.2–14 | 12.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.8%11–14.9 | 13.9% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.7–7.3 | 6.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.3–4.4 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.2%6.2–8.4 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.7–3.6 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Rhode Island figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Foster
Is Foster a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Foster is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health, #26 of 38 in Rhode Island. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 52%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Foster?
CDC estimates 31.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.4% and 36.2%, against 31.7% across Rhode Island and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Foster?
Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam, 12.4 miles in a straight line from Foster’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Foster have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4–6.4%), against 8.2% across Rhode Island.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Foster more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Foster.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Rhode Island figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.