Compare towns
Northborough vs Wakefield vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Scituate has the most expensive homes ($848k median).
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 | Northborough | Wakefield | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,750Lowest |
27,793Highest |
19,365 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±3 13% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
| Scituate and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±2.3Highest 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+ | 17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.5% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,199±$19kHighest 47% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$136,732±$16k 32% above MA |
| Northborough and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $620,000±$24kLowest 10% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$847,600±$25kHighest 51% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,919±$269 9% above MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
| Wakefield and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,983 33% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$8,807Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.7%±10.3Highest 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 | 3.7% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 7% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
38 minHighest 31% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
28%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Scituate and Wakefield 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 | #35 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #43 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Scituate |
| High school in town | Algonquin Regional High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8 |
10.7Lowest |
11.3Highest |
| 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.