Compare towns
Marshfield vs Ware 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
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k 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 | Ware | Scituate | Norwell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,879Highest |
10,048Lowest |
19,365 |
11,361 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
39.2±1.4Lowest about the MA 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
28.5%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Ware 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.8% MA: 47.3% |
69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware 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 21% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$136,732±$16k 32% above MA |
$188,699±$25kHighest 82% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $680,300±$27k 21% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$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 |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% 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 | $6,656 11% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below 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% |
64.3%±16.2 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% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.8% MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
38 minHighest 31% above MA |
35 min 21% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #43 of 282 in MA | #80 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | Ware | Scituate | Norwell |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Scituate High School | Norwell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
11.1 |
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.