Compare towns
Eastham vs Reading vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eastham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.1%).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Scituate has the most expensive homes ($848k median).
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 | Eastham | Reading | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,811Lowest |
25,612Highest |
19,365 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.4±2.5Highest 51% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
47.1±3.1 18% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 12.5%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 40.9%±6Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
66.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Scituate and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,992±$8kLowest 30% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$136,732±$16k 32% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $732,200±$63kLowest 30% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$847,600±$25kHighest 51% above MA |
| Scituate and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,747±$101 about the MA average |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
| Reading and Eastham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$8,807 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 83.8%±77.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Eastham and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 36% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
38 minHighest 31% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.4%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading 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 | #17 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #43 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Eastham · Nauset | Reading | Scituate |
| High school in town | Nauset Regional High | Reading Memorial High | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.1Highest |
11.3 |
| 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.