Compare towns
Marshfield vs Fairhaven vs Burlington
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 kids (19.6% under 18).
Fairhaven has the most affordable homes ($447k median).
Burlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Fairhaven | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,879 |
15,903Lowest |
26,274Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6Lowest 15% above MA |
48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
45.9±2.2Lowest 15% above MA |
| Fairhaven 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% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Marshfield and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Fairhaven and Burlington 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% |
32.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Burlington 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 |
$95,965±$19kLowest 8% below MA |
$146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
| Burlington 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 |
$446,700±$19kLowest 21% below MA |
$740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
| Burlington and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,656Highest 11% above MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$6,165 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Fairhaven 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% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
5.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
74.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Marshfield and Burlington 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 | #126 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | Fairhaven | Burlington |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | Fairhaven High | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
11.4Highest |
11.3 |
| 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.