Compare towns
Scituate vs Marshfield vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Scituate has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($680k median).
Scituate has the highest household income ($137k).
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 | Marshfield | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,796Lowest |
25,879Highest |
19,365 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±3.8Highest 29% above MA |
45.9±2.6Lowest 15% above MA |
47.1±3.1 18% above MA |
| Scituate and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±4.8 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Scituate and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.7% MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Scituate and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,549±$27kLowest 20% above MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
$136,732±$16kHighest 32% above MA |
| Scituate and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $821,600±$82k 46% above MA |
$680,300±$27kLowest 21% above MA |
$847,600±$25kHighest 51% above MA |
| Scituate and Scituate 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 |
$1,772±$123Highest about the MA average |
$1,609±$311 9% below MA |
| Marshfield and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,345 39% above MA |
$6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
$8,807Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.4%±8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83% MA: 62.5% |
80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 44% above MA |
35 minLowest 19% above MA |
38 min 31% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.6%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Scituate 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 | #43 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA | #43 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Marshfield | Scituate |
| High school in town | — | Marshfield High | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0Lowest |
11.3Highest |
| 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.