What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dudley	Marshfield
People
Population	11,929Lowest	25,879Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average	45.9±2.6Highest 15% above MA
Kids under 18	20.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Dudley and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Marshfield and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	52.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA	$125,986±$8kHighest 21% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$392,600±$19kLowest 30% below MA	$680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA	$1,772±$123Highest about the MA average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,691Lowest 38% below MA	$6,656Highest 11% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest MA: 10%	8.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	80.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 6% below MA	35 minHighest 19% above MA
Work from home	9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#142 of 282 in MA	#54 of 282 in MA
School district	Dudley-Charlton Reg	Marshfield
High school in town	Shepherd Hill Regional High	Marshfield High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3Highest	11.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.