Compare towns
Scituate vs Ipswich vs Scituate
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 homeowners (87.8%).
Ipswich has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Scituate has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
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 | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365Highest |
13,930 |
5,796Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1Lowest 18% above MA |
47.2±3.5 18% above MA |
51.7±3.8Highest 29% above MA |
| Scituate and Ipswich 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% |
22.1%±4.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Scituate and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Scituate 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% |
64.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.1%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $136,732±$16k 32% above MA |
$138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA |
$124,549±$27kLowest 20% 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 |
$821,600±$82k 46% above MA |
| Scituate and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,609±$311Highest 9% below MA |
$1,598±$90 9% below MA |
$884±$721Lowest 50% 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 |
$8,345 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
46.4%±8Lowest 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% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 min 31% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.6%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Scituate 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 | #43 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 | 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.