The Town FilesScituate, Massachusetts
Community in Plymouth County · population 5,620 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $821,600
- Household income
- $124,549
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 45 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 51.7
Scituate is a community of 5,620 people in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $821,600, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for cycling than 97% of Massachusetts towns, more seaside character than 96% of Massachusetts towns, better for retirees than 93% of Massachusetts towns.
How Scituate ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Scituate is worth $821,600, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 6.6 times the median household income of $124,549, which is more affordable than 13% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $884 a month. 83.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Scituate | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $821,600 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $884 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $124,549 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.6× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 83.0% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Scituate
| People | Scituate | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.7 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.3% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 64.7% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.4% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.8% | — |
| Work from home | 26.6% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 41.8 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.9% | 93.9% |
Weather in Scituate
July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 21.7°F. About 52.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.0 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 115 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Scituate since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 16, 1986 about 1.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 1 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 10, 1989.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 2, 2004.
Severe weather in Plymouth County since 1996
Plymouth County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| April 18, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4651: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| June 25, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4372: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Plymouth County
Plymouth County had 194,985 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,858 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Scituate itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Towns near Scituate
- Scituate, MA1.8 mi · 19,063 people · home $847,600
- North Scituate, MA2.8 mi · 5,414 people · home $824,800
- Norwell, MA4.5 mi · 11,351 people · home $865,700
- Marshfield, MA4.7 mi · 25,825 people · home $680,300
- Marshfield, MA5.9 mi · 4,653 people · home $675,300
- North Pembroke, MA6.2 mi · 3,490 people · home $536,000
- Cohasset, MA6.6 mi · 8,381 people · home $1,318,900
- Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock, MA6.7 mi · 4,744 people · home $554,000
Scituate questions
Is Scituate, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Scituate scores better for retirees than 93% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 63%. 27.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.7).
How much does a house cost in Scituate?
The median owner-occupied home in Scituate is valued at $821,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $124,549, so homes cost about 6.6 times income. Median rent is $884 a month.
What is the weather like in Scituate?
July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 21.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.3 inches of precipitation a year and 45.0 inches of snow.
Does Scituate get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Scituate since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 16, 1986. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)