Compare towns
Marshfield vs Scituate vs Suffield 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
Scituate has the most expensive homes ($822k median).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
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 | Suffield | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,879Highest |
5,796Lowest |
15,702 |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6 18% above U.S. |
51.7±3.8Highest 33% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
| 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%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.1%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Scituate and Marshfield 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% |
27.3%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Dedham 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% |
64.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Suffield 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 56% above U.S. |
$124,549±$27k 54% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above 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±$27k 104% above U.S. |
$821,600±$82kHighest 147% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,772±$123 25% above U.S. |
$884±$721Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$8,345Highest 168% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.4%±8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
83% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 31% above U.S. |
42 minHighest 58% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | — | Suffield School District | Dedham |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | — | Suffield High School | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Highest |
— | 10.9 |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.