What stands out worked out from the figures below

Scituate has the most people working from home (28%).

Ipswich has the shortest commute (29 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.

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

Measure	Scituate	Ipswich
People
Population	19,365Highest	13,930Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	47.1±3.1Lowest 18% above MA	47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA
	Ipswich and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.2%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%	18.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Scituate and Ipswich 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%	21.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Scituate and Ipswich 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%	60.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9%	4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$136,732±$16kLowest 32% above MA	$138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA
	Ipswich 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	$745,400±$40kLowest 33% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,609±$311Highest 9% below MA	$1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA
	Scituate and Ipswich 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	$7,960Lowest 33% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.7%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8%	51.5%±12.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Scituate and Ipswich 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%	5.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA	1964Highest same as MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 31% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	28%±4Highest MA: 18.6%	18.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#43 of 282 in MA	#101 of 282 in MA
School district	Scituate	Ipswich
High school in town	Scituate High School	Ipswich High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Highest	9.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.