What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the highest household income ($166k).

Scituate has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Reading	Scituate
People
Population	25,612Highest	19,365Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA	47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA
	Scituate and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%	22.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Reading and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	22.2%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Scituate and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	66.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Scituate and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA	$136,732±$16kLowest 32% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA	$847,600±$25kHighest 51% above MA
	Scituate and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA	$1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA
	Reading and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Highest 56% above MA	$8,807Lowest 47% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.7%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.2%Highest MA: 10%	2.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	87.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960 4 yrs older than MA	1960 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 6% above MA	38 minHighest 31% above MA
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%	28%±4Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Reading 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	#50 of 282 in MA	#43 of 282 in MA
School district	Reading	Scituate
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Scituate High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.