Compare towns
Scituate vs Upton vs Lancaster 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).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Johnston has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Upton | Lancaster | Johnston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,517 |
8,189Lowest |
8,606 |
29,835Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$91,866±$6kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$355,500±$13kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,489±$251 5% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,275±$132 10% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,265 69% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$4,614Lowest 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.6%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% 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. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #32 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Scituate | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Johnston |
| High school in town | Scituate High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Johnston Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8 |
11.2Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.