Compare towns
Marshfield vs Salem vs Chelmsford
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 expensive homes ($680k median).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Chelmsford has the highest household income ($141k).
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 | Salem | Chelmsford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,879Lowest |
44,795Highest |
36,446 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
41.6±1.9 4% above MA |
| Marshfield and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Chelmsford 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% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Marshfield and Chelmsford 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% |
47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$140,629±$8kHighest 35% above MA |
| Chelmsford 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 |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$593,700±$17k 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,772±$123Lowest about the MA average |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$2,062±$151Highest 17% above MA |
| Chelmsford and Salem 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 |
$6,114Lowest about the MA average |
$8,047Highest 34% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Marshfield and Chelmsford 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #79 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | Salem | Chelmsford |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | Salem High | Chelmsford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
9.8Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| 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.