Compare towns
Bourne vs Dedham vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.8%).
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 | Bourne | Dedham | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Lowest |
25,237 |
25,879Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Marshfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
| Dedham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28kLowest about the MA average |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA |
| Marshfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
| Dedham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$6,656 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Marshfield and Dedham 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Dedham | Marshfield |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Dedham High | Marshfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.4 |
11.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.