Compare towns
Scituate vs Needham vs Glocester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Glocester has the most affordable homes ($397k 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 | Needham | Glocester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,517 |
32,459Highest |
10,221Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.9±4 28% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
50.8±4.3Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Glocester and Scituate 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,315±$23kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$113,508±$7k 41% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $449,300±$26k 35% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$396,500±$28kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,489±$251 5% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,417±$627Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,265 69% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,248Lowest 68% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.6%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Glocester and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #17 of 38 in RI | #19 of 282 in MA | #12 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Scituate | — | Foster-Glocester · Glocester |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | — | Ponaganset High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| 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.