Compare towns
Norwell vs Wareham 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 the highest household income ($189k).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Marshfield has the most renters (19.2% rent).
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 | Wareham | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,361Lowest |
23,302 |
25,879Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 28.5%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham 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 |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $865,700±$35kHighest 54% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$680,300±$27k 21% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,215±$336Highest 26% above MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% 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 |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,656 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.1%±24.5 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest 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% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 21% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 27.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norwell | Wareham | Marshfield |
| High school in town | Norwell High | Wareham Senior High | Marshfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
8.6Lowest |
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.