What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marblehead has the highest household income ($182k).

Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($680k median).

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	Marblehead	Marshfield
People
Population	20,413Lowest	25,879Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±2Highest 23% above MA	45.9±2.6Lowest 15% above MA
	Marblehead and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Marblehead and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Marblehead and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	78.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Marshfield and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA	$125,986±$8kLowest 21% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA	$680,300±$27kLowest 21% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average	$1,772±$123Highest about the MA average
	Marshfield and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,309Highest 39% above MA	$6,656Lowest 11% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Marshfield and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.4%Lowest MA: 10%	8.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 13% above MA	35 minHighest 19% above MA
Work from home	34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	24.8%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#47 of 282 in MA	#54 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Marshfield
High school in town	—	Marshfield High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.0
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.