Compare towns
Scituate vs Exeter vs Johnston
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 oldest population (median age 49.9).
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Johnston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
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 | Exeter | Johnston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,517 |
7,195Lowest |
29,835Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+0.5%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
+2.8%Highest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 49.9±4Highest 23% above RI |
37.7±5.9Lowest 7% below RI |
44.5±2.5 10% above RI |
| Scituate and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±3.3Lowest RI: 18.8% |
19.7%±4.7Highest RI: 18.8% |
17.5%±2.4 RI: 18.8% |
| Exeter and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.3Highest RI: 18.7% |
18.2%±3.8Lowest RI: 18.7% |
22.1%±2.6 RI: 18.7% |
| Scituate and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7% RI: 37.7% |
46.1%Highest RI: 37.7% |
28.9%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7Lowest RI: 8.3% |
11.1%±6.3Highest RI: 8.3% |
6.1%±1.6 RI: 8.3% |
| Exeter and Johnston 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 |
$111,250±$30k 27% above RI |
$91,866±$6kLowest 5% above RI |
| Scituate and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $449,300±$26k 11% above RI |
$509,200±$43kHighest 26% above RI |
$355,500±$13kLowest 12% below RI |
| Exeter and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,489±$251Highest 11% above RI |
$1,317±$307 about the RI average |
$1,275±$132Lowest 5% below RI |
| Scituate and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,265 7% above RI |
$5,881Highest 20% above RI |
$4,614Lowest 6% below RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.6%±25.9 RI: 48% |
91%±26.7Highest RI: 48% |
38.1%±8.7Lowest RI: 48% |
| Exeter and Scituate 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% |
12.8%Highest RI: 11.2% |
7.9% RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest RI: 63.6% |
80.3% RI: 63.6% |
75.9%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 4 yrs newer than RI |
1987Highest 25 yrs newer than RI |
1968 6 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 20% above RI |
22 minLowest 12% below RI |
24 min 7% below RI |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1 RI: 13% |
17.2%±6.1Highest RI: 13% |
9.9%±2.3Lowest RI: 13% |
| Exeter 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 | #17 of 38 in RI | #14 of 38 in RI | #32 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Scituate | Exeter-West Greenwich | Johnston |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | None in town | Johnston Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.