Compare towns
Beverly vs Gray vs Ogunquit 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Gray | Ogunquit | Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 42,665Highest |
8,429 |
1,379Lowest |
31,542 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Norwood and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7k 31% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$107,030±$11k 33% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13k 95% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$651,700±$13k 96% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106 25% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
— | $2,116±$83Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836Highest 119% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$6,111 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.3%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray 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% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
54%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #144 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #176 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | Norwood |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Norwood High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
12.5Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| 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.