Compare towns
Marshfield vs Townsend vs Brookline
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 affordable homes ($178k median).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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.
| Measure | Marshfield | Townsend | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 470Lowest |
9,100Highest |
531 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±8.8 9% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Brookline 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% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookline 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Marshfield 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. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
| 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±$31kLowest 46% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$79Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,269Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±62.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marshfield and Townsend 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.5%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Marshfield 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 | — | North Middlesex | — |
| High school 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.