Compare towns
Burlington vs Wareham 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 the highest household income ($146k).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Marshfield has the most kids (19.6% under 18).
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 | Wareham | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,274Highest |
23,302Lowest |
25,879 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.2Lowest 15% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
45.9±2.6Lowest 15% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4Highest 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% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2Lowest 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% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above 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 |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$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 |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,165 about the MA average |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,656Highest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest 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% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Highest 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Burlington | Wareham | Marshfield |
| High school in town | Burlington High | Wareham Senior High | Marshfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
8.6Lowest |
11.0 |
| 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.