Compare towns
Scituate vs Townsend 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
Scituate has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Townsend | Glocester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,517Highest |
9,100Lowest |
10,221 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.9±4 28% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% 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% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Glocester 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest 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% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend 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. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$113,508±$7k 41% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Glocester 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. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$396,500±$28kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Townsend 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. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,417±$627Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Scituate and Townsend 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. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,248Lowest 68% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.6%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Scituate and Glocester 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #12 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Scituate | North Middlesex | Foster-Glocester · Glocester |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | North Middlesex Regional | Ponaganset High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.8 |
| 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.