Compare towns
Scituate vs Dover vs Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Reading has the shortest commute (31 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 | Dover | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365 |
2,308Lowest |
25,612Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1 18% above MA |
47.5±4Highest 19% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
| Dover 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% |
20.9%±4.8Lowest 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%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Reading 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% |
83.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
9.4%±4.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover 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 |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $847,600±$25k 51% above MA |
$1,308,300±$149kHighest 133% above MA |
$809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
— | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
| Reading and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,807Lowest 47% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dover 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% |
3.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
37 min 26% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
37.4%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Dover and Reading 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 | #1 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Scituate | — | Reading |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | — | 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.