Compare towns
Marshfield Hills vs Reading vs Norwell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marshfield Hills has the oldest population (median age 52).
Reading has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Norwell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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.
| Measure | Marshfield Hills | Reading | Norwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,978Lowest |
25,612Highest |
11,361 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±10.2Highest 30% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
39.2±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Marshfield Hills and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±7.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
28.5%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Norwell and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±6Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Marshfield Hills and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Norwell and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $216,250±$90kHighest 108% above MA |
$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA |
$188,699±$25k 82% above MA |
| Marshfield Hills and Norwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $851,700±$107k 52% above MA |
$809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA |
$865,700±$35kHighest 54% above MA |
| Norwell and Marshfield Hills are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,215±$336Highest 26% above MA |
| Norwell and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,575Lowest 43% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±38.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
67.1%±24.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield Hills and Norwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 28% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
35 min 21% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.3%±8.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
27.1%±4.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Norwell 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 | — | #50 of 282 in MA | #80 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Reading | Norwell |
| High school in town | — | Reading Memorial High | Norwell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
11.7Lowest |
| 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.