What stands out worked out from the figures below

Scituate has the most homeowners (87.3%).

Northbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Scituate	Northbridge
People
Population	10,517Lowest	16,458Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S.	43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S.
	Scituate and Northbridge 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%	21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Northbridge 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.	$111,319±$19kLowest 38% above U.S.
	Scituate and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$449,300±$26kHighest 35% above U.S.	$448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S.
	Scituate and Northbridge 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.	$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S.
	Scituate and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,265Highest 69% above U.S.	$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	51.2%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Scituate and Northbridge 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%	7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 16% above U.S.	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	13.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	16.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Northbridge 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	#226 of 282 in MA
School district	Scituate	Northbridge
High school in town	Scituate High School	Northbridge High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8	10.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.