Compare towns
Scituate vs Needham vs Northborough
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%).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Northborough has the most affordable homes ($620k 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 | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365 |
32,459Highest |
15,750Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
45±3 13% above MA |
| Scituate and Northborough 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% |
21.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.8% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
65.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Northborough 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 |
$153,199±$19k 47% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $847,600±$25k 51% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$620,000±$24kLowest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,919±$269 9% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,807 47% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,983Lowest 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3Lowest 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% |
3.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±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 | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Scituate | Needham | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Needham High | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.9Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| 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.