Compare towns
Scituate vs Exeter vs Putnam
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 oldest population (median age 49.9).
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
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 | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,517Highest |
7,195Lowest |
9,292 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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 39% above U.S. |
$111,250±$30k 38% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| 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 35% above U.S. |
$509,200±$43kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| 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 5% above U.S. |
$1,317±$307 7% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| 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 69% above U.S. |
$5,881Highest 89% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.6%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Scituate | Exeter-West Greenwich | Putnam School District |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | None in town | Putnam High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Highest |
— | 9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.