Compare towns
Medfield vs Ware vs Topsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Medfield has the highest household income ($219k).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Topsfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).
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 | Medfield | Ware | Topsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,849 |
10,048Highest |
6,564Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.7±5.4Highest 14% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
42.2±1.8Lowest 6% above MA |
| Medfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.8%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Topsfield and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $218,946±$34kHighest 111% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$195,718±$16k 88% above MA |
| Medfield and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $815,300±$46k 45% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
| Topsfield and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,014±$531Highest 14% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,115±$538 37% below MA |
| Medfield and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±17.5 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±40.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 8% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 32.8%±6.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±8.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Medfield and Topsfield 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 | #26 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #172 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ware | Topsfield |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.