What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Lowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).

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	Lowell
People
Population	19,365Lowest	118,368Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA	35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA
Kids under 18	22.2%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%	21.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Scituate and Lowell 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%	12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	30%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$136,732±$16kHighest 32% above MA	$78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$847,600±$25kHighest 51% above MA	$429,200±$11kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA	$1,625±$40Highest 8% below MA
	Lowell 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	$4,499Lowest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.7%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8%	52.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Scituate and Lowell 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%	16.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA	1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 31% above MA	28 minLowest 4% below MA
Work from home	28%±4Highest MA: 18.6%	10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#43 of 282 in MA	#255 of 282 in MA
School district	Scituate	Lowell
High school in town	Scituate High School	Lowell High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Lowest	14.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.