Compare towns
Cabot vs Ashby vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Ashby has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($214k 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 | Cabot | Ashby | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,579Lowest |
3,211Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±6.6 4% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
38.7±6.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Cabot and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashby and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashby and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,031±$16k 5% below U.S. |
$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$60,313±$10kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,500±$77k 19% below U.S. |
$390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$214,100±$37kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,243±$354 12% below U.S. |
$1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,317±$126Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Marshfield and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,639 49% above U.S. |
$6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,668Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±26.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65.7%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marshfield and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.4%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.5%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marshfield and Cabot 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 | — | #200 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.