Compare towns
Scituate vs Upton vs Marshfield vs North Scituate
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).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Marshfield has the most renters (19.2% rent).
North Scituate has the most kids (26.2% under 18).
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 | Upton | Marshfield | North Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,365 |
8,189 |
25,879Highest |
6,492Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
42.3±2.9Lowest 6% above MA |
| Scituate and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.2%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| North Scituate and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Upton 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% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
73.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| North Scituate 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$125,986±$8kLowest 21% above MA |
$140,329±$38k 35% above MA |
| Upton and North 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 |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$680,300±$27k 21% above MA |
$824,800±$32k 47% above MA |
| Scituate and North Scituate 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,772±$123Highest about the MA average |
$1,595±$191 9% below MA |
| 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 47% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
$8,601 44% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1 MA: 51.8% |
77.8%±24.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Scituate and Marshfield 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
35 minLowest 19% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
27.9%±7.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Scituate and North 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Scituate | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Marshfield | — |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Blackstone Valley | Marshfield High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
11.2 |
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.