Compare towns
Marshfield vs Scituate 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 renters (19.2% rent).
Scituate has the most expensive homes ($822k median).
Chelmsford has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Scituate | Chelmsford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,879 |
5,796Lowest |
36,446Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
51.7±3.8Highest 29% above MA |
41.6±1.9Lowest 4% above MA |
| Scituate 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% |
22.1%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Scituate and Chelmsford 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% |
27.3%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.1%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Chelmsford and Marshfield 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 |
$124,549±$27kLowest 20% above 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±$27k 21% above MA |
$821,600±$82kHighest 46% above MA |
$593,700±$17kLowest 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$884±$721Lowest 50% below MA |
$2,062±$151Highest 17% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
$8,345Highest 39% above MA |
$8,047 34% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.4%±8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±10 MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Chelmsford 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% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
26.6%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±2.3Lowest 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 | #43 of 282 in MA | #79 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | — | Chelmsford |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | — | Chelmsford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
— | 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.