Compare towns
Scituate vs Needham vs Marshfield
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 oldest population (median age 51.7).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($680k 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 | Needham | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,796Lowest |
32,459Highest |
25,879 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±3.8Highest 29% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
| Scituate and Marshfield 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% |
19.6%±2.4Lowest 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%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.7% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $821,600±$82k 46% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$680,300±$27kLowest 21% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $884±$721Lowest 50% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,345 39% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.4%±8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Needham 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% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 44% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.6%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Lowest 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 | #54 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Needham | Marshfield |
| High school in town | — | Needham High | Marshfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| 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.