Population 10,781 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Scituate
Household size in Scituate
| Period | Scituate | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.54 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.61 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.18 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Scituate is a place of small households, averaging 2.36 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.54, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the east.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Scituate
| Period | Scituate | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.2 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.2 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 50.2 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.7 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.5 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.7, Scituate is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has edged down from 47.2 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the east.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Scituate
| Period | Scituate | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.4% of households in Scituate, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged up 0.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Scituate
Renters in Scituate
| Period | Scituate | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.2% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.3% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.9% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 13.7% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Scituate is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 13.7% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About four in ten owners (40.4%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 3.5 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Scituate
| Period | Scituate | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.8% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.0% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −8.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Scituate: 6.4% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The Boston area as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy is down 8.2 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Scituate
| Period | Scituate | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1962 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1965 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1961 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | −0 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Scituate is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1961, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. That is in line with the rest of the Boston area. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the north.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Scituate
| Period | Scituate | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,094 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,083 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,303 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,837 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$743 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Scituate pays $1,837 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the Boston area overall ($2,051). Rents are up $743 a month from 2006–10, a 68% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 28.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Scituate
Bachelor's degrees in Scituate
| Period | Scituate | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 54.8% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 54.9% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 54.9% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 63.8% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.0 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Scituate is highly educated: nearly two-thirds of adults 25 and older (63.8%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.0 points, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Scituate
| Period | Scituate | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.9% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.2% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.7% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.2% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Scituate: 97.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is down 0.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Scituate
| Period | Scituate | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.3% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Scituate runs below the national rate: 3.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Scituate compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scituate | 2.36 | 46.7 | 6.4% | 13.7% | 6.4% | 1961 | $1,837 | 63.8% | 97.2% | 3.4% |
| North Scituate | 2.81 | 44.2 | 10.6% | 11.4% | 6.0% | 1959 | $1,818 | 72.4% | 99.1% | 4.4% |
| Rivermoor | 2.52 | 42.9 | 2.3% | 9.0% | 3.7% | 1975 | $1,348 | 70.7% | 98.5% | 4.4% |
| Marshfield Hills | 2.42 | 51.3 | 7.9% | 5.7% | 6.5% | 1979 | $1,764 | 56.7% | 98.9% | 0.3% |
| Cohasset | 2.78 | 46.2 | 3.6% | 16.7% | 7.8% | 1965 | $2,911 | 75.4% | 98.1% | 5.0% |
| Humarock | 2.51 | 41.5 | 20.8% | 0.0% | 76.1% | 1944 | $1,348 | 37.2% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Norwell | 3.02 | 39.4 | 7.2% | 8.5% | 4.7% | 1969 | $1,830 | 69.5% | 97.9% | 1.9% |
| Standish | 3.17 | 44.2 | 9.4% | 7.5% | 11.6% | 1974 | $2,263 | 65.7% | 98.0% | 4.0% |
| Black Rock | 2.97 | 37.8 | 1.8% | 5.7% | 6.8% | 1967 | $2,632 | 87.7% | 98.8% | 0.2% |
| South Hingham | 3.18 | 37.5 | 2.5% | 2.5% | 4.4% | 1979 | $2,211 | 72.8% | 98.9% | 1.8% |
| Marshfield | 2.60 | 41.5 | 9.9% | 21.4% | 10.9% | 1976 | $1,799 | 56.0% | 95.8% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Havana, FL · Signal Hill, CA · Sierra Madre, CA · Sheboygan Falls, WI · Hope, AR · Holtsville, NY · Hellertown, PA · Hebron, TX · Hebron, IN · Heber Springs, AR
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Scituate. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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