Compare towns
Exeter vs Scituate vs West Greenwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
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).
West Greenwich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.4%).
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 | West Greenwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,195 |
10,517Highest |
6,647Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+6.4%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.9Lowest 7% below RI |
49.9±4Highest 23% above RI |
43±3.8 6% above RI |
| Scituate and West Greenwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
19.5%±5.3 RI: 18.8% |
| Exeter and West Greenwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.8Lowest RI: 18.7% |
25.2%±4.3Highest RI: 18.7% |
20.2%±4 RI: 18.7% |
| Scituate and West Greenwich 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 RI: 37.7% |
34.7%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
34.7%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±6.3Highest RI: 8.3% |
4.2%±1.7 RI: 8.3% |
3.1%±1.9Lowest RI: 8.3% |
| 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 27% above RI |
$112,315±$23k 28% above RI |
$135,625±$17kHighest 54% above RI |
| West Greenwich and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $509,200±$43k 26% above RI |
$449,300±$26kLowest 11% above RI |
$535,400±$68kHighest 32% above RI |
| West Greenwich and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,317±$307Lowest about the RI average |
$1,489±$251 11% above RI |
$2,414±$206Highest 80% above RI |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,881 20% above RI |
$5,265Lowest 7% above RI |
$6,491Highest 32% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91%±26.7Highest RI: 48% |
59.6%±25.9 RI: 48% |
47.5%±39.4Lowest RI: 48% |
| 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 RI: 11.2% |
5% RI: 11.2% |
2.3%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
87.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
87.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 25 yrs newer than RI |
1966Lowest 4 yrs newer than RI |
1991Highest 29 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 12% below RI |
31 minHighest 20% above RI |
27 min 7% above RI |
| Work from home | 17.2%±6.1Highest RI: 13% |
13.3%±5.1 RI: 13% |
11.5%±5Lowest RI: 13% |
| 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 | #19 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Exeter-West Greenwich | Scituate | The Greene School · Exeter-West Greenwich |
| High school in town | None in town | Scituate High School | Exeter-West Greenwich Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
RI 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.