Compare towns
Marshfield vs Eastham 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 has the most renters (19.2% rent).
Eastham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.1%).
Norwell has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Eastham | Norwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,879Highest |
5,811Lowest |
11,361 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
60.4±2.5Highest 51% above MA |
39.2±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
12.5%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
28.5%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
40.9%±6Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.4% MA: 47.3% |
69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
$72,992±$8kLowest 30% below MA |
$188,699±$25kHighest 82% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $680,300±$27kLowest 21% above MA |
$732,200±$63k 30% above MA |
$865,700±$35kHighest 54% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$1,747±$101Lowest about the MA average |
$2,215±$336Highest 26% above MA |
| Norwell 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 |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1 MA: 51.8% |
83.8%±77.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
67.1%±24.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Eastham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.9% MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
19 minLowest 36% below MA |
35 minHighest 21% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Norwell and Marshfield 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 | #17 of 282 in MA | #80 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | Eastham · Nauset | Norwell |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | Nauset Regional High | Norwell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
9.8Lowest |
11.7Highest |
| 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.