Compare towns
Norwell vs Bourne vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norwell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).
Bourne has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Norwell | Bourne | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,361Lowest |
20,323 |
25,879Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 28.5%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Norwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $188,699±$25kHighest 82% above MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $865,700±$35kHighest 54% above MA |
$575,600±$28kLowest about the MA average |
$680,300±$27k 21% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,215±$336Highest 26% above MA |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
| Norwell and Marshfield 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 |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$6,656 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.1%±24.5 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Norwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 21% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 27.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Norwell 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 | #80 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norwell | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Marshfield |
| High school in town | Norwell High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Marshfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
9.8Lowest |
11.0 |
| 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.