Compare towns
Scituate vs Sutton vs Charlestown
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 most affordable homes ($449k median).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
Charlestown has the oldest population (median age 53.3).
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 | Sutton | Charlestown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,517Highest |
9,452 |
8,051Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.9±4 28% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
53.3±2.1Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Charlestown and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Charlestown and Scituate 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% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Charlestown 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±$23k 39% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$109,404±$10kLowest 36% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $449,300±$26kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$525,500±$57kHighest 58% above U.S. |
| Charlestown and Sutton 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. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,374±$134 about the U.S. average |
| Scituate and Charlestown 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. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$3,365Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.6%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.7%±20.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Charlestown and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Charlestown 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #10 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Scituate | Sutton | Chariho |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
12.6Highest |
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| 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.