Compare towns
Dedham vs Marshfield vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the highest household income ($129k).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.8%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k 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 | Dedham | Marshfield | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Lowest |
25,879 |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
45.9±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
| Marshfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.4% MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
| Dedham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
| Marshfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
| Dedham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$6,656 11% above MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.7% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
80.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marshfield and Dedham 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Marshfield | Springfield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Marshfield High | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.0 |
12.2Highest |
| 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.