Compare towns
Reading vs Scituate vs Wellfleet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Scituate has the most homeowners (87.8%).
Wellfleet has grown the fastest since 2010 (+29.7%).
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.
| Measure | Reading | Scituate | Wellfleet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
19,365 |
4,404Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+29.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
47.1±3.1 18% above MA |
58.4±4.1Highest 46% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
14.4%±5.4Lowest 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%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
35.3%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% MA: 47.3% |
66.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
64.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Scituate and Wellfleet 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±$16k 32% above MA |
$117,938±$27kLowest 13% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA |
$847,600±$25k 51% above MA |
$855,300±$70kHighest 52% above MA |
| Wellfleet and Scituate 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±$311 9% below MA |
$1,563±$597Lowest 11% 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 |
$8,807 47% above MA |
$4,862Lowest 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.7%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
28.6%±23.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Scituate and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
38 minHighest 31% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
20.7%±7.4Lowest 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 | Wellfleet |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Scituate High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.