Compare towns
Marshfield vs Ashburnham vs Marshfield Hills
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.8%).
Ashburnham has the most affordable homes ($391k median).
Marshfield Hills has the highest household income ($216k).
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 | Ashburnham | Marshfield Hills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,879Highest |
6,415 |
1,978Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
52±10.2Highest 30% above MA |
| Marshfield Hills and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
22.6%±6Highest MA: 19.4% |
17%±7.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ashburnham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Marshfield Hills and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.4% MA: 47.3% |
44%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
0.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ashburnham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
$118,809±$11kLowest 14% above MA |
$216,250±$90kHighest 108% above MA |
| Marshfield Hills and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $680,300±$27k 21% above MA |
$390,700±$34kLowest 30% below MA |
$851,700±$107kHighest 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,772±$123Lowest about the MA average |
$1,807±$1kHighest about the MA average |
— |
| Ashburnham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,656 11% above MA |
$6,046Lowest about the MA average |
$8,575Highest 43% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
100%±38.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.8% MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
93.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
32 minLowest 10% above MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
16%±7.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Marshfield and Marshfield Hills 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 | #54 of 282 in MA | #178 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Marshfield | Ashburnham-Westminster | — |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
— | — |
| 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.