Compare towns
Sandwich vs Buzzards Bay vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sandwich has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.8%).
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 | Sandwich | Buzzards Bay | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,522 |
2,909Lowest |
25,879Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±1.8 30% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
45.9±2.6Lowest 15% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±2 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Marshfield and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.7% MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,486±$12k 18% above MA |
$94,388±$12kLowest 9% below MA |
$125,986±$8kHighest 21% above MA |
| Marshfield and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $601,400±$26k 7% above MA |
$454,500±$28kLowest 19% below MA |
$680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,751±$121 about the MA average |
$1,484±$601Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,772±$123Highest about the MA average |
| Marshfield and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 8% above MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$6,656Highest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.9%±13.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Marshfield and Buzzards Bay 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 | #77 of 282 in MA | — | #54 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sandwich | — | Marshfield |
| High school in town | Sandwich Middle High School | — | Marshfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 11.0Highest |
| 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.