Compare towns
Exeter vs Pascoag vs Townsend 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 most people working from home (17.2%).
Pascoag has the most affordable homes ($365k median).
Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 49.9).
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 | Pascoag | Townsend | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,195 |
4,410Lowest |
9,100 |
10,517Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
39.1±3.7 about the U.S. average |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Pascoag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Townsend 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. |
$121,369±$34k 50% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Pascoag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $509,200±$43kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$365,000±$47kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$449,300±$26k 35% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,317±$307Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$1,319±$444 7% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,881 89% above U.S. |
$4,395Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,265 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±27.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Scituate 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% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | #14 of 38 in RI | — | #136 of 282 in MA | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Exeter-West Greenwich | — | North Middlesex | Scituate |
| High school in town | None in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1Highest |
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.