Compare towns
Northfield vs Palmyra vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northfield has the oldest population (median age 62.1).
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (11%).
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 | Northfield | Palmyra | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 263Lowest |
2,209Highest |
499 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 62.1±16.2Highest 39% above ME |
37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
40.9±7.8 9% below ME |
| Northfield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±7.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
28.5%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.2%±9.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Palmyra and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,333±$52kHighest 9% below ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$62,500±$5k 16% below ME |
| Northfield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $198,600±$64kHighest 33% below ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$191,900±$42k 35% below ME |
| Northfield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $733±$119 36% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,773 42% below ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,342Highest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 47.2%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Marshfield and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
21 min 14% below ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
11%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Marshfield and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.