Compare towns
Hamilton vs Marshfield vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hamilton has the most kids (24% under 18).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($680k median).
Scituate has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
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 | Hamilton | Marshfield | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,600Lowest |
25,879Highest |
19,365 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.5±2.1Lowest 9% above MA |
45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
| Scituate and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Hamilton and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±3.8 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Hamilton and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $129,833±$14k 25% above MA |
$125,986±$8kLowest 21% above MA |
$136,732±$16kHighest 32% above MA |
| Scituate and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $720,000±$36k 28% above MA |
$680,300±$27kLowest 21% above MA |
$847,600±$25kHighest 51% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,794±$394Highest about the MA average |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
| Hamilton and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
$8,807 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±23.6 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.7%±10.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% MA: 62.5% |
80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 11% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
38 minHighest 31% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.3%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Scituate and Hamilton 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 | #36 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA | #43 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hamilton-Wenham | Marshfield | Scituate |
| High school in town | Hamilton-Wenham Regional High | Marshfield High | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
11.0Lowest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.