Compare towns
Scituate vs Harvard vs Northborough
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 oldest population (median age 47.1).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
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 | Harvard | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365Highest |
6,927Lowest |
15,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
44.1±4.7Lowest 10% above MA |
45±3 13% above MA |
| Scituate and Northborough 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% |
21.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Scituate and Northborough 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% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Northborough 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% |
62%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
65.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough 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 |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$153,199±$19k 47% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $847,600±$25kHighest 51% above MA |
$833,600±$54k 48% above MA |
$620,000±$24kLowest 10% above MA |
| Scituate and Harvard 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 |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,919±$269Highest 9% above MA |
| Northborough 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,983Lowest 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard 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% |
4.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #43 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Scituate | Harvard | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | The Bromfield High School | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
11.0 |
10.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.