Compare towns
Canton vs Dracut 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 people working from home (25.7%).
Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).
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 | Canton | Dracut | Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748Lowest |
32,574Highest |
31,542 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+10.7% MA: +7.4% |
+10.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
41.7±2 4% above MA |
39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Canton and Dracut 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% |
21.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Dracut 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% |
18.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Canton and Dracut 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% |
36.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dracut and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$114,036±$10k 10% above MA |
$107,030±$11kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
$473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA |
$651,700±$13k 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,839±$130Lowest 4% above MA |
$2,116±$83 20% above MA |
| Canton and Norwood 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 |
$5,375Lowest 10% below MA |
$6,111 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.3%±7.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Dracut and Norwood 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% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
8.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% MA: 62.5% |
79.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 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% |
11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA | #176 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Dracut | — |
| High school in town | Canton High | Dracut Senior High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
12.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.