Compare towns
Scituate vs Needham vs Edgartown
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 affordable homes ($822k median).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Edgartown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.1%).
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.
| Measure | Scituate | Needham | Edgartown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,796 |
32,459Highest |
5,278Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+27.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±3.8 29% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
51.9±8.6Highest 30% above MA |
| Edgartown 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
10%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Scituate 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% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.7%±8.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Edgartown 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Edgartown 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$125,236±$33k 20% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $821,600±$82kLowest 46% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43k 111% above MA |
$1,199,300±$262kHighest 113% above MA |
| Edgartown and Needham 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 |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,796±$470 about the MA average |
| Needham and Edgartown 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,641Lowest 6% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.4%±8 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
30%±35.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
4.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
87%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 44% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
12 minLowest 60% below MA |
| Work from home | 26.6%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.6%±15.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Needham 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #242 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Edgartown |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.