Compare towns
Scituate vs Ipswich 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 expensive homes ($848k median).
Ipswich has the shortest commute (29 min average).
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 | Ipswich | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365 |
13,930Lowest |
25,879Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1 18% above MA |
47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA |
45.9±2.6Lowest 15% 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% |
19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Scituate and Marshfield 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%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $136,732±$16k 32% above MA |
$138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA |
$125,986±$8kLowest 21% 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±$40k 33% above MA |
$680,300±$27kLowest 21% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,609±$311 9% below MA |
$1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
$1,772±$123Highest about the MA average |
| Marshfield and Scituate 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 |
$7,960 33% above MA |
$6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2Lowest 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% |
5.7% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Scituate and Marshfield 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 | #101 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Scituate | Ipswich | Marshfield |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Ipswich High | Marshfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
9.0Lowest |
11.0 |
| 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.