Compare towns
Burlington vs Upton vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Burlington | Upton | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,274Highest |
8,189Lowest |
25,879 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.2Lowest 15% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45.9±2.6Lowest 15% above MA |
| Upton and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Burlington and Upton 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% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Burlington and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,436±$14k 41% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$125,986±$8kLowest 21% above MA |
| Upton and Burlington 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 |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$680,300±$27k 21% above 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,165Lowest about the MA average |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,656 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.5%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Marshfield and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Burlington | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Marshfield |
| High school in town | Burlington High | Blackstone Valley | Marshfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
11.2 |
11.0Lowest |
| 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.