Compare towns
Deerfield vs Newfields vs Merrimac
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Merrimac has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Deerfield | Newfields | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158 |
2,023Lowest |
6,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6Highest 33% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8Lowest 13% above U.S. |
49.4±6.8 27% above U.S. |
| Deerfield and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Newfields and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Merrimac and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Deerfield and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$123,054±$16k 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$553,400±$38k 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
$1,352±$325 4% below U.S. |
| Newfields and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Lowest 87% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,399 137% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Merrimac and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields and Deerfield 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | — | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Newfields School District | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.