What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has the most expensive homes ($291k median).

Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($178k 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	Brookline	Marshfield
People
Population	531Highest	470Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.9% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT	42.4±8.8Lowest about the VT average
	Brookline and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±6Highest VT: 17.9%	19.4%±9.1Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Brookline and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4%	10.2%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	35.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%	3.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7%
	Marshfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,833±$16kLowest about the VT average	$84,375±$20kHighest 4% above VT
	Marshfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$290,700±$37kHighest 8% below VT	$178,300±$31kLowest 44% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT	$1,125±$79Lowest 9% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,000Highest about the VT average	$3,269Lowest 35% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4%	52.4%±62.4Highest VT: 48.4%
	Marshfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Highest VT: 10.1%	4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	81.2%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 1 yr older than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 21% above VT	29 minHighest 24% above VT
Work from home	20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9%	17.5%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Brookline and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

VT 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.