Compare towns
Newburyport vs Scituate vs Northborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newburyport has the most renters (22.5% rent).
Scituate has the most homeowners (87.8%).
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
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 | Newburyport | Scituate | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,652 |
19,365Highest |
15,750Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.8±2.9Highest 25% above MA |
47.1±3.1 18% above MA |
45±3Lowest 13% above MA |
| Newburyport and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Scituate and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Newburyport and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.8% MA: 47.3% |
65.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $139,625±$21k 34% above MA |
$136,732±$16kLowest 32% above MA |
$153,199±$19kHighest 47% above MA |
| Northborough and Newburyport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $834,000±$37k 48% above MA |
$847,600±$25kHighest 51% above MA |
$620,000±$24kLowest 10% above MA |
| Scituate and Newburyport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,592±$221Lowest 10% below MA |
$1,609±$311 9% below MA |
$1,919±$269Highest 9% above MA |
| Northborough and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,944Lowest 33% above MA |
$8,807Highest 47% above MA |
$7,983 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.4%±9.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.7%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Scituate and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 8% above MA |
38 minHighest 31% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.9%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Newburyport 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 | #56 of 282 in MA | #43 of 282 in MA | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Newburyport | Scituate | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Newburyport High | Scituate High School | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
11.3Highest |
10.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.