Compare towns
Scituate vs Dedham vs Duxbury
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 people working from home (28%).
Dedham has the most affordable homes ($662k median).
Duxbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Dedham | Duxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365 |
25,237Highest |
16,185Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1 18% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
47.6±2.3Highest 19% above MA |
| Duxbury 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% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Duxbury 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% |
21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Duxbury 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% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham 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±$16k 32% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$176,583±$29kHighest 70% above MA |
| Duxbury and Scituate 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 |
$661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$874,600±$35kHighest 56% above MA |
| Duxbury and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,609±$311 9% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,591±$2kLowest 10% below MA |
| Dedham 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 |
$7,918Lowest 32% above MA |
$9,518Highest 59% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
57.8%±31.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Duxbury and Dedham 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% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Scituate and Duxbury 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #32 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Scituate | Dedham | Duxbury |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Dedham High | Duxbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
10.4 |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.