Compare towns
Scituate vs Reading vs Newbury
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 youngest population (median age 43.7).
Newbury has the shortest commute (24 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 | Newbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,796Lowest |
25,612Highest |
6,777 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±3.8 29% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
55.1±4.8Highest 38% above MA |
| Newbury 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±3.9Lowest 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%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.5%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Newbury 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% |
60.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Newbury 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 |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$174,868±$59kHighest 68% above MA |
| Newbury and Reading 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 |
$809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA |
$840,600±$40kHighest 50% above MA |
| Newbury 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 |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,806±$1k about the MA average |
| Reading and Newbury 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 |
$6,661Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.4%±8 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±26.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Newbury 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 44% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
24 minLowest 18% below MA |
| Work from home | 26.6%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.5%±6Lowest 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 | #137 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Reading | Triton |
| High school in town | — | Reading Memorial High | Triton Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.