Compare towns
Exeter vs Scituate vs Plainville
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%).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 49.9).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k 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 | Scituate | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,195Lowest |
10,517 |
17,551Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Plainville 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% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Plainville 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% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$30k 38% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Exeter 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. |
$449,300±$26k 35% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below 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±$307 7% below U.S. |
$1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Scituate and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,881Highest 89% above U.S. |
$5,265 69% above U.S. |
$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest 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% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 15% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest 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 | #17 of 38 in RI | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Exeter-West Greenwich | Scituate | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Scituate High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.