Compare towns
Marshfield vs Townsend vs Sheffield
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%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k 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 | Townsend | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 470Lowest |
9,100Highest |
573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±8.8Highest 9% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42±8 8% 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% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±6.6Lowest 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% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±4Highest 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% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±4.7Highest 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. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below 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. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$171,900±$50kLowest 48% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$79 20% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$967±$79Lowest 32% below 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. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$2,123Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±62.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.5%±41.2Highest 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest 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 | — | North Middlesex | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| 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.