Compare towns
Scituate vs Sutton vs Johnston
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).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Johnston has the most affordable homes ($356k 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 | Sutton | Johnston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,517 |
9,452Lowest |
29,835Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9%Lowest 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% |
6.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Johnston 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. |
$91,866±$6kLowest 14% 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±$26k 35% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$355,500±$13kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,275±$132 10% below U.S. |
| Scituate and Johnston 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. |
$4,614Lowest 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Sutton 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% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #17 of 38 in RI | #105 of 282 in MA | #32 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Scituate | Sutton | Johnston |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Sutton High School | Johnston Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8 |
12.6Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.