Compare towns
Marshfield vs Thorndike vs Northfield
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).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Northfield has the oldest population (median age 62.1).
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 | Thorndike | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 499 |
1,403Highest |
263Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 40.9±7.8 9% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
62.1±16.2Highest 39% above 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%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.4%±7.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike 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% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.2%±9.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.1% ME: 36.2% |
25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
40.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Marshfield and Thorndike 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 |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$68,333±$52k 9% below ME |
| Thorndike and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,900±$42kLowest 35% below ME |
$205,600±$88kHighest 31% below ME |
$198,600±$64k 33% below ME |
| Thorndike and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $836±$317 27% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,342 23% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
$1,773Lowest 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Marshfield and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1% ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 13 minLowest 46% below ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11%±7 ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school in town | — | Mt View High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
— |
| 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.