Compare towns
Scituate vs Acton vs Marshfield Hills
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 housing (typical home built 1960).
Acton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Marshfield Hills has the highest household income ($216k).
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 | Acton | Marshfield Hills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365 |
24,155Highest |
1,978Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1 18% above MA |
44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
52±10.2Highest 30% above MA |
| Marshfield Hills and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17%±7.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±6 MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Marshfield Hills are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.8% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
0.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $136,732±$16kLowest 32% above MA |
$158,230±$14k 52% above MA |
$216,250±$90kHighest 108% above MA |
| Marshfield Hills and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $847,600±$25k 51% above MA |
$807,300±$20kLowest 44% above MA |
$851,700±$107kHighest 52% above MA |
| Marshfield Hills and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
— |
| Acton and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,807 47% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,575Lowest 43% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±38.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield Hills and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
3.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
35 minLowest 19% above MA |
37 min 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±8.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Acton 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 | #13 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Scituate | Acton-Boxborough | — |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
13.5Highest |
— |
| 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.