Compare towns
Marshall vs Fairfield vs Charleston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marshall has the most people working from home (10.1%).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Charleston has the most affordable homes ($184k 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.
| Measure | Marshall | Fairfield | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,163Highest |
1,938 |
1,394Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±2.8Lowest 4% below U.S. |
42.3±2.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
39.3±5 about the U.S. average |
| Fairfield and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.6%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Marshall and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.1%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairfield and Marshall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Charleston and Marshall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,250±$32kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$87,019±$22kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$91,417±$9k 13% above U.S. |
| Marshall and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $212,400±$18k 36% below U.S. |
$320,600±$22kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$184,200±$23kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$151Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,056±$441 25% below U.S. |
$1,250±$360Highest 12% below U.S. |
| Charleston and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,595Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$4,816Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,415 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.5%±28.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±20.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±49.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Charleston and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.8%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marshall and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | WATERVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.