Compare towns
Hanover vs Bow vs Norwell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanover has the most renters (15.5% rent).
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
Norwell has the most people working from home (27.1%).
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 | Hanover | Bow | Norwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,845Highest |
8,335Lowest |
11,361 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.4Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
39.2±1.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Hanover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
28.5%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Norwell and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,803±$23kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kLowest 114% above U.S. |
$188,699±$25k 134% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Norwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $755,400±$39k 127% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$865,700±$35kHighest 160% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,845±$341 31% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,215±$336Highest 57% above U.S. |
| Norwell and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,342Lowest 200% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±23.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.1%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Norwell and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Norwell and Bow 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 | #69 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #80 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | Bow School District | Norwell |
| High school in town | South Shore Vocational Technical High | Bow High School | Norwell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.7 |
| 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.