Compare towns
Scituate vs Edgartown vs Reading vs Marshfield
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 homeowners (87.8%).
Edgartown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.1%).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($680k 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.
| Measure | Scituate | Edgartown | Reading | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,365 |
5,278Lowest |
25,612 |
25,879Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+27.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1 18% above MA |
51.9±8.6Highest 30% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
| Edgartown 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% |
10%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4 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% |
29.7%±8.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Edgartown 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.3% MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Scituate and Marshfield 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 |
$125,236±$33kLowest 20% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $847,600±$25k 51% above MA |
$1,199,300±$262kHighest 113% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$680,300±$27kLowest 21% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
$1,796±$470 about the MA average |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
| Reading and Edgartown 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 |
$5,641Lowest 6% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$6,656 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
30%±35.6 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield 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% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
87% MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
80.8%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 |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
12 minLowest 60% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
25.6%±15.2 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Lowest 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 | #242 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Scituate | Edgartown | Reading | Marshfield |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | None in town | Reading Memorial High | Marshfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
— | 12.1Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.