Compare towns
Marshfield vs Northfield vs Freedom
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marshfield has the shortest commute (13 min average).
Northfield has the oldest population (median age 62.1).
Freedom has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
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 | Northfield | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 499 |
263Lowest |
670Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±7.8 9% below ME |
62.1±16.2Highest 39% above ME |
40.1±2.7Lowest 10% below ME |
| Northfield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.5%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.4%±7.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Marshfield and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.8%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.2%±9.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.1% ME: 36.2% |
40.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±4.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Marshfield and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,500±$5kLowest 16% below ME |
$68,333±$52kHighest 9% below ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
| Northfield and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,900±$42k 35% below ME |
$198,600±$64kHighest 33% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
| Northfield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,342Highest 23% below ME |
$1,773Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,328 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
— | 21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Marshfield and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 13 minLowest 46% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 11%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Marshfield and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.