Compare towns
Marshfield vs Upton vs Rowley vs Dedham
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 people working from home (24.8%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Rowley has the oldest population (median age 50).
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 | Upton | Rowley | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,879Highest |
8,189 |
6,251Lowest |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
| Rowley 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% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Marshfield 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% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Rowley 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% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Rowley 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±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
| Upton and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$667,300±$52k 19% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
| Marshfield and Rowley 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 |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
| Dedham 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Rowley 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% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Marshfield and Upton 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 | #214 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Triton | Dedham |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
11.2Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| 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.