Compare towns
Marshfield vs Plainfield vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.8%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Dedham has the highest household income ($129k).
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 | Plainfield | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,879Highest |
15,141Lowest |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6Highest 18% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
| Marshfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Marshfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,986±$8k 56% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
| Dedham 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±$27kHighest 104% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
| Marshfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,772±$123 25% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,656 113% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marshfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marshfield and Dedham 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | Plainfield School District | Dedham |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | Plainfield High School | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Highest |
10.3Lowest |
10.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.