Compare towns
Marshfield vs Reading vs Marblehead
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).
Reading has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k 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 | Reading | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,879Highest |
25,612 |
20,413Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
| Marblehead 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Marblehead 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% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Reading 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% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Marshfield and Marblehead 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 |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
| Marblehead and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $680,300±$27kLowest 21% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
| Reading and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Marblehead 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Reading 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | Reading | Marblehead |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | Reading Memorial High | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
12.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.