Compare towns
Marshfield vs Suffield vs Scituate vs Norwell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marshfield has the most renters (19.2% rent).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Scituate has the most people working from home (28%).
Norwell has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Suffield | Scituate | Norwell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,879Highest |
15,702 |
19,365 |
11,361Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6 18% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
47.1±3.1Highest 21% above U.S. |
39.2±1.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
| 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% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
28.5%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Suffield and Scituate 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. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$136,732±$16k 69% above U.S. |
$188,699±$25kHighest 134% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $680,300±$27k 104% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$847,600±$25k 155% above U.S. |
$865,700±$35kHighest 160% above U.S. |
| Norwell and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,772±$123 25% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,609±$311 14% above U.S. |
$2,215±$336Highest 57% above U.S. |
| Norwell 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. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$8,807 182% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.7%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.1%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marshfield and Norwell 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% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 31% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.1%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Scituate and Norwell 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #43 of 282 in MA | #80 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | Suffield School District | Scituate | Norwell |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | Suffield High School | Scituate High School | Norwell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
10.9Lowest |
11.3 |
11.7Highest |
| 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.