Compare towns
Scituate vs Needham vs Cohasset
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 affordable homes ($848k median).
Needham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Cohasset has the most expensive homes ($1319k 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 | Needham | Cohasset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365 |
32,459Highest |
8,427Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
43.9±4.4 10% above MA |
| Scituate and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Cohasset 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% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.8%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
76.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $136,732±$16kLowest 32% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$199,306±$53k 92% above MA |
| Needham and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $847,600±$25kLowest 51% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43k 111% above MA |
$1,318,900±$165kHighest 135% above MA |
| Cohasset and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$2,755±$399Highest 56% above MA |
| Cohasset and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,807Lowest 47% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±15.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham 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% |
3.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
83%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 min 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Needham 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #41 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Scituate | Needham | Cohasset |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Needham High | Cohasset High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.9Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.