Compare towns
Scituate vs North Reading 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%).
North Reading has the most affordable homes ($711k median).
Scituate has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | North Reading | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,796Lowest |
15,765 |
19,365Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±3.8Highest 29% above MA |
43±2.8Lowest 8% 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%±4.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| North Reading 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% |
16.7%±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% |
56.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| North Reading 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±$27kLowest 20% above MA |
$147,768±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$136,732±$16k 32% above MA |
| North Reading 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±$82k 46% above MA |
$710,500±$24kLowest 26% 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 |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
$1,609±$311 9% below MA |
| North Reading and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,345Lowest 39% above MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
$8,807 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.4%±8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 44% above MA |
34 minLowest 15% above MA |
38 min 31% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.6%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6Lowest 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 | #33 of 282 in MA | #43 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | North Reading | Scituate |
| High school in town | — | North Reading High | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.1Lowest |
11.3Highest |
| 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.