Compare towns
Beverly vs Epping vs Middleton vs Norwood
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Epping has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
Norwood has the most renters (46% 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 | Beverly | Epping | Middleton | Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 42,665Highest |
7,430Lowest |
9,816 |
31,542 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.1±2 11% above U.S. |
39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Epping and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Norwood and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7k 31% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$107,030±$11k 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13k 95% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$651,700±$13k 96% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106 25% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,407±$284Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,116±$83Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836 119% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
$6,111Lowest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.3%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
54%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Beverly 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 | #144 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #71 of 282 in MA | #176 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Epping School District | Middleton | Norwood |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Epping High School | None in town | Norwood High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
9.3Lowest |
— | 11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.