Compare towns
Cohasset vs Walpole 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).
Walpole has the most affordable homes ($687k median).
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 | Walpole | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,427Lowest |
26,388Highest |
19,365 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±4.4 10% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
| Scituate and Cohasset 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% |
25.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Cohasset and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Cohasset 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% |
67.4% MA: 47.3% |
66.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Scituate 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 |
$171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
$136,732±$16kLowest 32% above MA |
| Cohasset and Walpole 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 |
$687,100±$20kLowest 22% above MA |
$847,600±$25k 51% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,755±$399Highest 56% above MA |
$2,205±$222 25% above MA |
$1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
| Cohasset and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,523Lowest 42% above MA |
$8,807 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±15.5 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.7%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Scituate and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3% MA: 10% |
3.6%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 28% above MA |
34 minLowest 15% above MA |
38 minHighest 31% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
| Walpole 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 | #107 of 282 in MA | #43 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Cohasset | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Scituate |
| High school in town | Cohasset High School | Walpole High | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
11.3Highest |
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.