Compare towns
Marshfield vs Upton vs Scituate 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).
Scituate has the most people working from home (28%).
Norwell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).
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 | Scituate | Norwell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,879Highest |
8,189Lowest |
19,365 |
11,361 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
39.2±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Scituate and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±2.3 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%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate 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% |
66.8% 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% |
4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Scituate 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 |
$136,732±$16k 32% 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 |
$847,600±$25k 51% above MA |
$865,700±$35kHighest 54% above MA |
| 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 about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,609±$311 9% below MA |
$2,215±$336Highest 26% above MA |
| Norwell 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 |
$8,807 47% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
52.7%±10.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
67.1%±24.5 MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
87.8% MA: 62.5% |
91.6%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 |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minLowest 19% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
38 minHighest 31% above MA |
35 min 21% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
27.1%±4.5 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #43 of 282 in MA | #80 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Scituate | Norwell |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | Blackstone Valley | Scituate High School | Norwell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
11.2 |
11.3 |
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.