Compare towns
Burlington vs Marshfield vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burlington has the highest household income ($146k).
Marshfield has the most kids (19.6% under 18).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k 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.
| Measure | Burlington | Marshfield | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,274Highest |
25,879 |
23,302Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.2Lowest 15% above MA |
45.9±2.6Lowest 15% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Marshfield and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.4% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Burlington and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
$680,300±$27k 21% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Burlington and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,165 about the MA average |
$6,656Highest 11% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marshfield and Burlington 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 | #83 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Burlington | Marshfield | Wareham |
| High school in town | Burlington High | Marshfield High | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
11.0 |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.