Compare towns
Scituate vs Swampscott 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 expensive homes ($848k median).
Swampscott has the most renters (24.1% rent).
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 | Swampscott | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365Highest |
15,277Lowest |
15,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
44.5±3.5Lowest 11% 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%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Scituate and Northborough 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% |
20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Swampscott 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% |
62.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
65.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough and Swampscott 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 |
$134,386±$23kLowest 29% above MA |
$153,199±$19kHighest 47% above MA |
| Northborough and Scituate 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 |
$771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
$620,000±$24kLowest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$1,919±$269 9% above MA |
| Swampscott and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,807Highest 47% above MA |
$7,936Lowest 32% above MA |
$7,983 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott 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% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Scituate and Swampscott 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 | #76 of 282 in MA | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Scituate | Swampscott | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Swampscott High | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.7Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| 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.