Compare towns
Reading vs Scituate vs Suffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 47.1).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k 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 | Reading | Scituate | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
19,365 |
15,702Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
47.1±3.1Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Suffield and Scituate 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 106% above U.S. |
$136,732±$16k 69% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22k 143% above U.S. |
$847,600±$25kHighest 155% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| 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 41% above U.S. |
$1,609±$311 14% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
| 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 199% above U.S. |
$8,807 182% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.7%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Reading | Scituate | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Scituate High School | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.3 |
10.9Lowest |
| 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.