Compare towns

Marshfield vs Upton vs Reading vs Marshfield Hills

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).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Marshfield Hills has the highest household income ($216k).

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.

MeasureMarshfieldUptonReadingMarshfield Hills
People
Population
25,879Highest
8,189
25,612
1,978Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.8%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+6.1%Highest
MA: +7.4%
+3.1%
MA: +7.4%
+5.7%
MA: +7.4%
Median age
45.9±2.6
15% above MA
46.4±4.8
16% above MA
43.7±2.3Lowest
9% above MA
52±10.2Highest
30% above MA
Marshfield Hills and Upton 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%
23.2%±4.5Highest
MA: 19.4%
22.8%±2.2
MA: 19.4%
17%±7.2Lowest
MA: 19.4%
Upton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
20.2%±2Lowest
MA: 17.9%
20.7%±4.9
MA: 17.9%
20.7%±2.3
MA: 17.9%
22%±6Highest
MA: 17.9%
Marshfield Hills and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
52.4%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
53.5%
MA: 47.3%
66.3%Highest
MA: 47.3%
56.5%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4%±1.1Highest
MA: 7.9%
2.4%±1.3
MA: 7.9%
2.9%±0.7
MA: 7.9%
0.7%±1.3Lowest
MA: 7.9%
Marshfield and Reading 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
$165,912±$13k
60% above MA
$216,250±$90kHighest
108% above MA
Marshfield Hills and Reading 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
$809,000±$22k
44% above MA
$851,700±$107kHighest
52% above MA
Marshfield Hills and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,772±$123
about the MA average
$948±$599Lowest
46% below MA
$1,991±$273Highest
13% above MA
—
Reading and Marshfield 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
$9,320Highest
56% above MA
$8,575
43% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
68.1%±10.1
MA: 51.8%
52.8%±31
MA: 51.8%
27.8%±9.1Lowest
MA: 51.8%
100%±38.8Highest
MA: 51.8%
Marshfield Hills 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%Lowest
MA: 10%
3.2%Lowest
MA: 10%
3.5%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.8%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
86.7%
MA: 62.5%
82.4%
MA: 62.5%
93.8%Highest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1968
4 yrs newer than MA
1981Highest
17 yrs newer than MA
1960Lowest
4 yrs older than MA
1976
12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
35 min
19% above MA
35 min
22% above MA
31 minLowest
6% above MA
37 minHighest
28% above MA
Work from home
24.8%±4.3
MA: 18.6%
22.8%±5.3
MA: 18.6%
30.2%±4.1Highest
MA: 18.6%
18.3%±8.5Lowest
MA: 18.6%
Reading 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 #50 of 282 in MA —
School district Marshfield Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton — —
High school in town Marshfield High Blackstone Valley — —
Students per teacherat that high school
11.0Lowest
11.2Highest
— —
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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.