Compare towns
Beverly vs Upton vs Mendon vs Norwood
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Mendon has the most homeowners (86.9%).
Norwood has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Upton | Mendon | Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 42,665Highest |
8,189 |
6,325Lowest |
31,542 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$107,030±$11k about the MA average |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
$651,700±$13kHighest 16% above MA |
| Norwood and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106 about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$2,116±$83Highest 20% above MA |
| Norwood and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836 14% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$6,111Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.3%±7.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon 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 MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
8.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 3% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #176 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mendon-Upton | Norwood |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Norwood High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— | 11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.