What stands out worked out from the figures below

Freedom has the most renters (9.8% rent).

Marshfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).

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	Freedom	Marshfield
People
Population	670Highest	499Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+1.9%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	40.1±2.7Lowest 10% below ME	40.9±7.8Highest 9% below ME
	Marshfield and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.2%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1%	28.5%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1%
	Marshfield and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.1%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4%	20.8%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Freedom and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2%	26.1%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8%	2%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8%
	Marshfield and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,861±$12kHighest 13% below ME	$62,500±$5kLowest 16% below ME
	Freedom and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME	$191,900±$42kHighest 35% below ME
	Marshfield and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,328Lowest 23% below ME	$2,342Highest 23% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%	100%±100Highest ME: 48.4%
	Marshfield and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.5%Highest ME: 10.7%	9.1%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	94.6%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME	1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 29% above ME	13 minLowest 46% below ME
Work from home	8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	11%±7Highest ME: 15.9%
	Marshfield and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

ME 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.