Compare towns
Scituate vs Burlington vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Scituate has the most kids (22.1% under 18).
Burlington has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($680k median).
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 | Scituate | Burlington | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,796Lowest |
26,274Highest |
25,879 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±3.8Highest 29% above MA |
45.9±2.2Lowest 15% above MA |
45.9±2.6Lowest 15% above MA |
| Scituate and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Scituate and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
58.4% MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Burlington and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,549±$27kLowest 20% above MA |
$146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
| Burlington and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $821,600±$82kHighest 46% above MA |
$740,600±$35k 32% above MA |
$680,300±$27kLowest 21% above MA |
| Scituate and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $884±$721Lowest 50% below MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,345Highest 39% above MA |
$6,165Lowest about the MA average |
$6,656 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.4%±8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.9% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 44% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.6%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Scituate 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 | #43 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Burlington | Marshfield |
| High school in town | — | Burlington High | Marshfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| 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.