Compare towns
Scituate vs Wakefield 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 the most expensive homes ($822k median).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Wakefield | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,796Lowest |
27,793Highest |
6,251 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±3.8Highest 29% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% 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%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Scituate and Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Wakefield 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 |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
| Wakefield 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 |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$667,300±$52kLowest 19% above MA |
| Scituate and Wakefield 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 |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
| Wakefield and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,345Highest 39% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.4%±8 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley 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% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 44% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 26.6%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Scituate and Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Triton |
| 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.