Compare towns
Scituate vs Eastham vs Rowley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Scituate has the most people working from home (26.6%).
Eastham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.1%).
Rowley has the most affordable homes ($667k 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 | Scituate | Eastham | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,796Lowest |
5,811 |
6,251Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% MA: +7.4% |
+16.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±3.8 29% above MA |
60.4±2.5Highest 51% above MA |
50±6.3Lowest 25% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.5%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Scituate and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±5 MA: 17.9% |
40.9%±6Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,549±$27k 20% above MA |
$72,992±$8kLowest 30% below MA |
$132,734±$32kHighest 28% above MA |
| Rowley and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $821,600±$82kHighest 46% above MA |
$732,200±$63k 30% above MA |
$667,300±$52kLowest 19% above MA |
| Scituate and Eastham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $884±$721Lowest 50% below MA |
$1,747±$101Highest about the MA average |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
| Eastham and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,345Highest 39% above MA |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.4%±8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
83.8%±77.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Eastham and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83% MA: 62.5% |
87.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 44% above MA |
19 minLowest 36% below MA |
28 min 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 26.6%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Scituate and Eastham 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 | #43 of 282 in MA | #17 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Eastham · Nauset | Triton |
| High school in town | — | Nauset Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.