What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marshfield has the most expensive homes ($680k median).

Plympton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).

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	Plympton
People
Population	25,879Highest	2,935Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+3.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.9±2.6Lowest 15% above MA	46.4±4.2Highest 16% above MA
	Plympton 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%	21.6%±5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Plympton and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%	22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Plympton 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%Highest MA: 47.3%	38.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%	3.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Marshfield and Plympton 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	$126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA
	Plympton 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 21% above MA	$517,800±$52kLowest 8% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,772±$123Highest about the MA average	$555±$148Lowest 69% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,656Highest 11% above MA	$6,628Lowest 11% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8%	50.8%±40.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Marshfield and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.7%Lowest MA: 10%	10.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	93.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 19% above MA	33 minLowest 13% above MA
Work from home	24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%	19.3%±6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Marshfield and Plympton 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	#110 of 282 in MA
School district	Marshfield	Plympton
High school in town	Marshfield High	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.0	—
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.