Compare towns
Scituate vs Needham vs Marshfield Hills
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Marshfield Hills has the oldest population (median age 52).
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 | Marshfield Hills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365 |
32,459Highest |
1,978Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1 18% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
52±10.2Highest 30% above MA |
| Marshfield Hills 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17%±7.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±6 MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Marshfield Hills are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.8% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
0.7%±1.3Lowest 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±$13k 106% above MA |
$216,250±$90kHighest 108% above MA |
| Marshfield Hills and Needham 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±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$851,700±$107k 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,807 47% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,575Lowest 43% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
100%±38.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield Hills and Needham 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% |
3.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 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% |
18.3%±8.5Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | Scituate | Needham | — |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Needham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— |
| 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.