Compare towns
Preston vs Putnam 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
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Scituate has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Preston | Putnam | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
9,292 |
10,517Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.2±7 19% above U.S. |
43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Preston and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Preston and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
| Preston and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$449,300±$26kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1k about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,749 52% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$5,265Highest 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Scituate and Preston 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Preston School District | Putnam School District | Scituate |
| High school in town | None in town | Putnam High School | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Lowest |
10.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.