What stands out worked out from the figures below

Scituate has the most expensive homes ($848k median).

Douglas has the most affordable homes ($471k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Scituate	Douglas
People
Population	19,365Highest	9,207Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA	44±2.6Lowest 10% above MA
	Scituate and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.2%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%	21.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Scituate and Douglas 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%	15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Douglas 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	$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA
	Douglas 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±$25kHighest 51% above MA	$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,609±$311Highest 9% below MA	$1,503±$697Lowest 15% below MA
	Scituate and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,807Highest 47% above MA	$6,338Lowest 6% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.7%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8%	33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Scituate and Douglas 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%	4.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	83.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA	1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 31% above MA	34 minLowest 16% above MA
Work from home	28%±4Highest MA: 18.6%	20.9%±4.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Scituate and Douglas 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	#177 of 282 in MA
School district	Scituate	Douglas
High school in town	Scituate High School	Douglas High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Highest	7.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.