What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($335k median).

Marshfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).

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	Ludlow	Marshfield
People
Population	20,904Lowest	25,879Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+2.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.3±1.8Lowest 11% above MA	45.9±2.6Highest 15% above MA
	Marshfield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Marshfield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Ludlow and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27%Lowest MA: 47.3%	52.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Ludlow and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,838±$7kLowest 18% below MA	$125,986±$8kHighest 21% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$335,300±$10kLowest 40% below MA	$680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,223±$82Lowest 31% below MA	$1,772±$123Highest about the MA average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,918Lowest 18% below MA	$6,656Highest 11% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Marshfield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest MA: 10%	8.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%	80.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest same as MA	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 31% below MA	35 minHighest 19% above MA
Work from home	14%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#154 of 282 in MA	#54 of 282 in MA
School district	Ludlow	Marshfield
High school in town	Ludlow Senior High	Marshfield High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	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.