Compare towns
Scituate vs Holliston vs Reading
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 expensive homes ($848k median).
Holliston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Holliston | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365 |
15,094Lowest |
25,612Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
45.2±1.9 13% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
| Scituate and Holliston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Holliston 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% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
65.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Scituate and Holliston 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 |
$159,817±$9k 54% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
| Reading and Holliston 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 |
$650,300±$20kLowest 16% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
| Scituate and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
$1,821±$225 3% above MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
| Reading and Holliston 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 |
$9,397Highest 57% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
53.5%±20.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Holliston 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% |
3.1% MA: 10% |
3.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
87.4% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.1%±3.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Holliston 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 | #38 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Scituate | Holliston | Reading |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Holliston High | Reading Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.4Highest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.