What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marshfield has the most kids (19.6% under 18).

Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).

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	Marshfield	Buzzards Bay
People
Population	25,879Highest	2,909Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.9±2.6Lowest 15% above MA	54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA
	Buzzards Bay and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%	6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%	32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,986±$8kHighest 21% above MA	$94,388±$12kLowest 9% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA	$454,500±$28kLowest 19% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,772±$123Highest about the MA average	$1,484±$601Lowest 16% below MA
	Marshfield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,656Highest 11% above MA	$3,405Lowest 43% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8%	37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Marshfield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.7%Highest MA: 10%	7.3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 19% above MA	32 minLowest 10% above MA
Work from home	24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%	17.4%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Marshfield and Buzzards Bay 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	—
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.