Compare towns
Pascoag vs Sterling vs Exeter vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pascoag has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 49.9).
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 | Pascoag | Sterling | Exeter | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,410 |
3,629Lowest |
7,195 |
10,517Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.1±3.7 about the U.S. average |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Pascoag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Pascoag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $121,369±$34kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$111,250±$30k 38% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
| Pascoag and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,000±$47k 10% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$509,200±$43kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$449,300±$26k 35% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,319±$444 7% below U.S. |
— | $1,317±$307Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Pascoag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,395Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$5,881Highest 89% above U.S. |
$5,265 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±27.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | — | #119 of 149 in CT | #14 of 38 in RI | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | — | Sterling School District | Exeter-West Greenwich | Scituate |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.