What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

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	Webster
People
Population	25,879Highest	17,748Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.9±2.6Highest 15% above MA	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4%	19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	20.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Marshfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Webster 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	$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA	$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,772±$123Highest about the MA average	$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,656Highest 11% above MA	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8%	45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	8.7%Lowest MA: 10%	12.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA	1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 19% above MA	31 minLowest 5% above MA
Work from home	24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%	8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#54 of 282 in MA	#271 of 282 in MA
School district	Marshfield	Webster
High school in town	Marshfield High	Bartlett High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.0Lowest	11.6Highest
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.