Compare towns
Marshfield vs Somerville 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).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
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 | Somerville | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 499Lowest |
837Highest |
670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±7.8Highest 9% below ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
| Marshfield and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.5%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Freedom and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Marshfield and Somerville 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 |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
| Somerville 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 |
$218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
| Somerville and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,583±$265 39% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,342 23% below ME |
$2,505Highest 17% below ME |
$2,328Lowest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Marshfield and Somerville 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% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 13 minLowest 46% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 11%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest 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. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 12 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.