Compare towns
Scituate vs Ipswich 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
Ipswich has the most renters (25.6% rent).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
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 | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365 |
13,930Lowest |
25,612Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1 18% above MA |
47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% 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%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest 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%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest 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% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $136,732±$16kLowest 32% above MA |
$138,750±$16k 33% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
| Reading and Ipswich 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 |
$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±$311 9% below MA |
$1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
| Reading 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 |
$7,960Lowest 33% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest 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 | #101 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Scituate | Ipswich | Reading |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Ipswich High | Reading Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
9.0Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| 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.