Compare towns
Mansfield vs Harvard vs Norton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mansfield has the most renters (26.9% rent).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Norton has the most affordable homes ($501k 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 | Mansfield | Harvard | Norton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,931Highest |
6,927Lowest |
19,240 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.4±1.3 4% above MA |
44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA |
39.6±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Harvard and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
17.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Mansfield and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Norton and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.1% MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
12.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,273±$15k 21% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$124,535±$11kLowest 20% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,500±$28k 7% above MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$501,400±$27kLowest 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,803±$147 about the MA average |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,911±$375Highest 8% above MA |
| Norton and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,226 21% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,929Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.6%±8.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
33 min 12% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #60 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #173 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mansfield | Harvard | Norton |
| High school in town | Mansfield High | The Bromfield High School | Norton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
11.0 |
10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.