Compare towns
Exeter vs Sturbridge 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).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Sturbridge | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,195Lowest |
9,960 |
10,517Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
47.2±2.6 21% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Sturbridge 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% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge 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% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%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% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Sturbridge 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. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge 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±$43kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kLowest 28% 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±$307 7% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,489±$251Highest 5% above 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 | $5,881 89% above U.S. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$5,265Lowest 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sturbridge and Exeter 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Exeter-West Greenwich | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Scituate |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
10.8Highest |
| 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.