Compare towns
Marshfield vs Upton vs Mendon vs Norwell
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).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Mendon has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Norwell has the most expensive homes ($866k 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 | Upton | Mendon | Norwell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,879Highest |
8,189 |
6,325Lowest |
11,361 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
39.2±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
28.5%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Norwell and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon 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±$8kLowest 21% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$188,699±$25kHighest 82% above MA |
| Norwell and Upton 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 |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
$865,700±$35kHighest 54% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$2,215±$336Highest 26% above MA |
| Norwell and Mendon 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 |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
67.1%±24.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Marshfield 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% MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
35 min 21% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Norwell 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #80 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mendon-Upton | Norwell |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Norwell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
11.2 |
— | 11.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.