Compare towns
Scituate vs Chilmark vs Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chilmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+40%).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Chilmark | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365 |
1,578Lowest |
25,612Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+40%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1 18% above MA |
53.6±8.1Highest 34% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
| Chilmark 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% |
16.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest 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+ | 22.2%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
36.2%±12.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Chilmark and Scituate 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% |
68.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Scituate and Reading 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 |
$168,750±$28kHighest 62% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
| Chilmark and Reading 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 |
$1,895,300±$281kHighest 237% above MA |
$809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
$2,750±$2kHighest 56% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
| Chilmark and Reading 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 |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
30.8%±59.9 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Scituate and Chilmark 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% |
4.1%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
32 min 8% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±11Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest 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 |
| School district | Scituate | Up-Island Regional | Reading |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | None in town | Reading Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| 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.