Compare towns
Marshfield vs Needham 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 affordable homes ($680k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Burlington has the most renters (25.8% rent).
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 | Needham | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,879Lowest |
32,459Highest |
26,274 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Burlington 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
58.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Burlington 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$146,436±$14k 41% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $680,300±$27kLowest 21% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$740,600±$35k 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,772±$123Lowest about the MA average |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Burlington and Needham 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,165Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #54 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | Needham | Burlington |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | Needham High | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
11.9Highest |
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.