Compare towns
Cohasset vs Stow vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cohasset has the most expensive homes ($1319k median).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 47.1).
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 | Cohasset | Stow | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,427 |
7,165Lowest |
19,365Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
| Scituate and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Cohasset and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
75.1% MA: 47.3% |
66.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Scituate and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $199,306±$53kHighest 92% above MA |
$185,809±$22k 79% above MA |
$136,732±$16kLowest 32% above MA |
| Cohasset and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,318,900±$165kHighest 135% above MA |
$729,600±$39kLowest 30% above MA |
$847,600±$25k 51% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,755±$399Highest 56% above MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,807Lowest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±15.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3% MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 28% above MA |
36 minLowest 23% above MA |
38 minHighest 31% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Scituate 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 | #41 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #43 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Cohasset | Nashoba | Scituate |
| High school in town | Cohasset High School | None in town | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.