Compare towns
Canton vs Boston vs Norwood
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the most homeowners (73.6%).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Norwood has the most affordable homes ($652k median).
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 | Canton | Boston | Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748Lowest |
666,442Highest |
31,542 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
39±1.8 about the MA average |
| Canton and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Canton and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$107,030±$11k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
$651,700±$13kLowest 16% above MA |
| Boston and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$2,147±$25 22% above MA |
$2,116±$83Lowest 20% above MA |
| Canton and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560Highest 9% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$6,111 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.3%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Norwood and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
54% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5 MA: 18.6% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA | #176 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Norwood |
| High school in town | Canton High | Boston Latin School | Norwood High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
18.7Highest |
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.