What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.8%).

Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Marshfield	Wareham
People
Population	25,879Highest	23,302Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.9±2.6Lowest 15% above MA	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Wareham 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±$8kHighest 21% above MA	$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA	$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,772±$123Highest about the MA average	$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA
	Marshfield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,656Highest 11% above MA	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8%	51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Marshfield and Wareham 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%	6.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 19% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%	12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#54 of 282 in MA	#272 of 282 in MA
School district	Marshfield	Wareham
High school in town	Marshfield High	Wareham Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.0Highest	8.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.