Compare towns

Scituate vs Central Falls

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Scituate has the most homeowners (87.3%).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).

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.

MeasureScituateCentral Falls
People
Population
10,517Lowest
22,701Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+0.5%Lowest
RI: +4.3%
+16.6%Highest
RI: +4.3%
Median age
49.9±4Highest
23% above RI
32.5±2.3Lowest
20% below RI
Kids under 18
14.9%±3.3Lowest
RI: 18.8%
26.1%±3.7Highest
RI: 18.8%
Age 65+
25.2%±4.3Highest
RI: 18.7%
10.7%±2Lowest
RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
34.7%Highest
RI: 37.7%
10.8%Lowest
RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.2%±1.7Lowest
RI: 8.3%
4.6%±1.7Highest
RI: 8.3%
Central Falls and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$112,315±$23kHighest
28% above RI
$49,285±$8kLowest
44% below RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$449,300±$26kHighest
11% above RI
$352,100±$30kLowest
13% below RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,489±$251Highest
11% above RI
$1,200±$75Lowest
11% below RI
Scituate and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,265Highest
7% above RI
$3,744Lowest
24% below RI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
59.6%±25.9Highest
RI: 48%
56.7%±8.2Lowest
RI: 48%
Scituate and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5%Lowest
RI: 11.2%
24.6%Highest
RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.3%Highest
RI: 63.6%
25.6%Lowest
RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year
1966Highest
4 yrs newer than RI
1944Lowest
18 yrs older than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
31 minHighest
20% above RI
27 minLowest
7% above RI
Work from home
13.3%±5.1Highest
RI: 13%
5.2%±2Lowest
RI: 13%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #17 of 38 in RI #38 of 38 in RI
School district Scituate Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning
High school in town Scituate High School Central Falls Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school
10.8Lowest
14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet

RI 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.