Compare towns
Scituate vs Upton vs Needham
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 oldest population (median age 47.1).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,365 |
8,189Lowest |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% 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%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham 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% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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±$16kLowest 32% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $847,600±$25k 51% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,609±$311 9% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,807 47% above MA |
$8,376Lowest 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±10.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Upton 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% |
3.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 31% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Needham and 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 | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Scituate | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Needham |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Blackstone Valley | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.2Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.