Compare towns
Exeter vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Scituate has the most affordable homes ($449k 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 | Exeter | Lancaster | Upton | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,195Lowest |
8,606 |
8,189 |
10,517Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$30kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $509,200±$43k 53% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$449,300±$26kLowest 35% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,317±$307 7% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,489±$251 5% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,881 89% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,265Lowest 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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 | #14 of 38 in RI | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Exeter-West Greenwich | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Scituate |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.