Compare towns
Marshfield vs Northbridge vs Upton vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Scituate has the most expensive homes ($848k median).
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 | Northbridge | Upton | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,879Highest |
16,458 |
8,189Lowest |
19,365 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
| Scituate and Upton 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%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Scituate 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Upton 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% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
66.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and Scituate 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 |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$136,732±$16k 32% above MA |
| Upton and Scituate 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 |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$847,600±$25kHighest 51% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,772±$123Highest about the MA average |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,609±$311 9% below MA |
| Marshfield and Scituate 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 |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$8,807Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Upton 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% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
38 minHighest 31% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
28%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Scituate 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #43 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Scituate |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.