Compare towns
Scituate vs Thompson vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Scituate has the most expensive homes ($848k median).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
Marshfield has the most renters (19.2% rent).
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 | Thompson | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365 |
9,337Lowest |
25,879Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1 21% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
45.9±2.6Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Scituate and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson and Scituate 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$16kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$125,986±$8k 56% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $847,600±$25kHighest 155% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$680,300±$27k 104% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,609±$311 14% above U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,772±$123Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Marshfield and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,807Highest 182% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$6,656 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.1%±10.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marshfield and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 20% above U.S. |
35 min 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.8%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Scituate and Marshfield 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 | #130 of 149 in CT | #54 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Scituate | Thompson School District | Marshfield |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Marshfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
7.9Lowest |
11.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.