Compare towns
Scituate vs Stow vs Reading vs Marshfield
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 expensive homes ($848k median).
Stow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.9%).
Reading has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($680k 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 | Stow | Reading | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,365 |
7,165Lowest |
25,612 |
25,879Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
| Scituate and Marshfield 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% |
22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Stow 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Reading 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% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Scituate and Marshfield 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 |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$125,986±$8kLowest 21% above MA |
| Stow and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $847,600±$25kHighest 51% above MA |
$729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$680,300±$27kLowest 21% 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±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
| Reading and Stow 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
$6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Stow 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% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Reading 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 | #44 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Scituate | Nashoba | Reading | Marshfield |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | None in town | Reading Memorial High | Marshfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
— | 12.1Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.