Compare towns
Marshfield vs Marblehead vs Chelmsford
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).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
Chelmsford 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 | Marblehead | Chelmsford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,879 |
20,413Lowest |
36,446Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
41.6±1.9Lowest 4% above MA |
| Marblehead and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Chelmsford 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% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Chelmsford 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±$8kLowest 21% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$140,629±$8k 35% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $680,300±$27k 21% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$593,700±$17kLowest 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,062±$151Highest 17% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$8,047 34% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±10 MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Chelmsford 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% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #54 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #79 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | — | Chelmsford |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | — | Chelmsford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
— | 14.0Highest |
| 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.