Compare towns
Marshfield vs Sheffield vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marshfield has the most people working from home (17.5%).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k 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 | Sheffield | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 470Lowest |
573 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±8.8Highest 9% above U.S. |
42±8 8% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Marshfield and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±9.1 U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.2%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sheffield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sheffield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$20k 5% above U.S. |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $178,300±$31k 46% below U.S. |
$171,900±$50kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$79 20% below U.S. |
$967±$79Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,269 5% above U.S. |
$2,123Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±62.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.5%±41.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sheffield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marshfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | — | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.