Compare towns

Scituate vs Thompson vs Windsor Locks 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 oldest population (median age 54.1).
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).

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.

MeasureScituateThompsonWindsor LocksMarshfield
People
Population
19,365
9,337Lowest
12,579
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.
41.4±2.6Lowest
6% above U.S.
45.9±2.6
18% above U.S.
Kids under 18
22.2%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
11.4%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
18.6%±3.4
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%
18.2%±2.7Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.2%±2
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%
28.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
52.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
2.9%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.9%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4%±1.1
U.S.: 6.4%
Windsor Locks 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±$16kHighest
69% above U.S.
$93,629±$18k
16% above U.S.
$81,205±$13kLowest
about the U.S. average
$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±$24k
12% below U.S.
$258,800±$14kLowest
22% 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.
$1,394±$187
about the U.S. average
$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.
$3,822
23% above U.S.
$3,688Lowest
18% 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%
58.2%±16.8
U.S.: 51.1%
68.1%±10.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Marshfield and Windsor Locks 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%
10.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
84.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
77.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
80.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1960Lowest
20 yrs older than U.S.
1963
17 yrs older than U.S.
1961
19 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 min
20% above U.S.
22 minLowest
17% below 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%
17.7%±3.7
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 #109 of 149 in CT #54 of 282 in MA
School district Scituate Thompson School District Windsor Locks School District Marshfield
High school in town Scituate High School Tourtellotte Memorial High School Windsor Locks High School Marshfield High
Students per teacherat that high school
11.3Highest
7.9Lowest
8.9
11.0
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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.