Compare towns
Beverly vs Webster 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 most people working from home (22.3%).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
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 | Webster | Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,665Highest |
17,748Lowest |
31,542 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
39.9±2.9Highest about the MA average |
39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Webster and Beverly 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% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Norwood and Webster 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% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster 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% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7k about the MA average |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$107,030±$11kHighest about the MA average |
| Norwood and Beverly 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 |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below 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 |
$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA |
$2,116±$83Highest 20% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836Highest 14% above MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$6,111 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.3%±7.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Beverly and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
54%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 3% above MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #144 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #176 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Webster | Norwood |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Bartlett High School | Norwood High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
11.6 |
11.5Lowest |
| 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.