Compare towns
Mansfield vs Marshfield vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
Bordering MansfieldNorton
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mansfield has the most renters (26.9% rent).
Marshfield has the most expensive homes ($680k median).
Grafton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Mansfield | Marshfield | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,931 |
25,879Highest |
19,902Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.4±1.3 4% above MA |
45.9±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
41.1±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Grafton and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.4% MA: 47.3% |
55.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Grafton and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,273±$15kLowest 21% above MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
$131,484±$11kHighest 26% above MA |
| Grafton and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,500±$28k 7% above MA |
$680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA |
$525,300±$37kLowest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,803±$147Highest about the MA average |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$1,504±$169Lowest 15% below MA |
| Mansfield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,226Highest 21% above MA |
$6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
$7,117 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±12.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Marshfield and Grafton 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 | #60 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA | #67 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mansfield | Marshfield | Grafton |
| High school in town | Mansfield High | Marshfield High | Grafton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
11.0Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.