Compare towns
Scituate vs Walpole 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 expensive homes ($822k median).
Walpole has the highest household income ($172k).
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 | Scituate | Walpole | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,796Lowest |
26,388Highest |
25,879 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±3.8Highest 29% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
| Scituate and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±4.8 MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Walpole and Scituate 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% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.7% MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole 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 |
$171,500±$16kHighest 65% above MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $821,600±$82kHighest 46% above MA |
$687,100±$20k 22% above MA |
$680,300±$27kLowest 21% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $884±$721Lowest 50% below MA |
$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,345 39% above MA |
$8,523Highest 42% above MA |
$6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.4%±8 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 44% above MA |
34 minLowest 15% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.6%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Walpole and Scituate 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 | #107 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Marshfield |
| High school in town | — | Walpole 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.