What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boxford has the highest household income ($201k).

Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($680k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Boxford	Marshfield
People
Population	8,208Lowest	25,879Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±3.6Highest 23% above MA	45.9±2.6Lowest 15% above MA
	Boxford and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.7%±5Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Boxford and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.2%±4.5Highest MA: 17.9%	20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Boxford and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	70.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Boxford and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$200,871±$21kHighest 93% above MA	$125,986±$8kLowest 21% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$907,000±$46kHighest 61% above MA	$680,300±$27kLowest 21% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$776±$13Lowest 56% below MA	$1,772±$123Highest about the MA average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$6,656Lowest 11% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.2%±60.6Lowest MA: 51.8%	68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Marshfield and Boxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.1%Lowest MA: 10%	8.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA	1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 7% above MA	35 minHighest 19% above MA
Work from home	21.6%±5.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Marshfield and Boxford 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	#34 of 282 in MA	#54 of 282 in MA
School district	Boxford · Masconomet	Marshfield
High school in town	Masconomet Regional High School	Marshfield High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	11.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.