Compare towns
Marshfield vs Reading vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($680k median).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Scituate has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
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 | Marshfield | Reading | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,879Highest |
25,612 |
5,796Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
51.7±3.8Highest 29% 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 | 19.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.1%±4.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
64.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.1%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Marshfield and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$124,549±$27kLowest 20% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $680,300±$27kLowest 21% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$821,600±$82kHighest 46% above MA |
| Scituate and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$884±$721Lowest 50% below MA |
| Reading and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$8,345 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.4%±8 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
83%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.6%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading 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 | #54 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #43 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | Reading | — |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | Reading Memorial High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— |
| 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.