Compare towns
Canton vs Webster 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
Canton has the most people working from home (25.7%).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($339k 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 | Webster | Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748 |
2,227Lowest |
31,542Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Webster and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Canton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Webster and Canton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Norwood and Canton 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 78% above U.S. |
$107,171±$14k 33% above U.S. |
$107,030±$11kLowest 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$338,500±$30kLowest about the U.S. average |
$651,700±$13k 96% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$1,396±$622Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,116±$83 50% above U.S. |
| 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 110% above U.S. |
$6,021Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$6,111 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Norwood and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
54%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 282 in MA | — | #176 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Merrimack Valley School District | — |
| High school in town | Canton High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.