Compare towns
Northborough vs Webster 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%).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
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 | Webster | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,750Lowest |
17,748 |
19,365Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±3 13% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
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% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest 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% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Webster 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% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Northborough 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 |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below 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±$24k 10% above MA |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$847,600±$25kHighest 51% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,919±$269Highest 9% above MA |
$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA |
$1,609±$311 9% below MA |
| Northborough and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,983 33% above MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$8,807Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest 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% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1% MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
38 minHighest 31% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.5%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Scituate and Northborough 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #43 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro | Webster | Scituate |
| High school in town | Algonquin Regional High | Bartlett High School | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
11.6Highest |
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.