Compare towns
Scituate vs Reading vs Marshfield 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Marshfield has the most renters (19.2% rent).
Rowley has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Reading | Marshfield | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,796Lowest |
25,612 |
25,879Highest |
6,251 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±3.8Highest 29% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
50±6.3 25% above MA |
| Scituate and Rowley 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| 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% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Rowley 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
| Reading and Rowley 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 |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$680,300±$27k 21% above MA |
$667,300±$52kLowest 19% above MA |
| Scituate and Reading 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 |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
| Reading and Marshfield 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.4%±8 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 44% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 26.6%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Reading | Marshfield | Triton |
| High school in town | — | Reading Memorial High | Marshfield High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
11.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.