Compare towns

Putnam vs Scituate vs Sutton

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 49.9).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).

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.

MeasurePutnamScituateSutton
People
Population
9,292Lowest
10,517Highest
9,452
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+0.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+4.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.7±3Lowest
12% above U.S.
49.9±4Highest
28% above U.S.
44.3±2.5
14% above U.S.
Scituate and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.6%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
14.9%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
19.6%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
Sutton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.5%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
25.2%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.8%±3.2
U.S.: 17.2%
Scituate and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
20%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
34.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
52.8%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.2%±1.7Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Scituate and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$70,561±$7kLowest
13% below U.S.
$112,315±$23k
39% above U.S.
$147,125±$25kHighest
82% above U.S.
Sutton and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$269,200±$11kLowest
19% below U.S.
$449,300±$26k
35% above U.S.
$523,100±$47kHighest
57% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,149±$44Lowest
19% below U.S.
$1,489±$251Highest
5% above U.S.
$1,190±$401
16% below U.S.
Scituate and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,860Lowest
24% above U.S.
$5,265
69% above U.S.
$6,763Highest
117% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
59.6%±25.9Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
47.5%±24.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Scituate and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
11.5%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
5.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
87.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
89.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961Lowest
19 yrs older than U.S.
1966
14 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
6% below U.S.
31 minHighest
16% above U.S.
30 min
12% above U.S.
Work from home
9%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
13.3%±5.1
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±4.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #128 of 149 in CT #17 of 38 in RI #105 of 282 in MA
School district Putnam School District Scituate Sutton
High school in town Putnam High School Scituate High School Sutton High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5Lowest
10.8
12.6Highest
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.