What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.8%).

Northbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).

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	Northbridge
People
Population	25,879Highest	16,458Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.9±2.6Highest 15% above MA	43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA
	Marshfield and Northbridge 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%	21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Northbridge and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9%	16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Marshfield and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Northbridge 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±$8kHighest 21% above MA	$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA
	Marshfield and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA	$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,772±$123Highest about the MA average	$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,656Highest 11% above MA	$4,821Lowest 20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8%	51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Marshfield and Northbridge 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%	7.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA	1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 19% above MA	31 minLowest 7% above MA
Work from home	24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%	16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#54 of 282 in MA	#226 of 282 in MA
School district	Marshfield	Northbridge
High school in town	Marshfield High	Northbridge High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.0Highest	10.8Lowest
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.