Compare towns
Scituate vs Rowley vs Reading
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%).
Rowley has the most affordable homes ($667k median).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
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 | Rowley | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365 |
6,251Lowest |
25,612Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1 18% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
| Rowley 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% |
19.3%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Scituate 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% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Rowley 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% |
56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley 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±$16k 32% above MA |
$132,734±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $847,600±$25kHighest 51% above MA |
$667,300±$52kLowest 19% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
| Scituate and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,609±$311 9% below MA |
$1,603±$520Lowest 9% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
| Reading and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,807 47% above MA |
$8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley 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% |
3.1% MA: 10% |
3.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading 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 | #214 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Scituate | Triton | Reading |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | None in town | Reading Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| 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.