Compare towns
Norfolk vs Dedham vs Harvard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norfolk has the most kids (24.4% under 18).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Norfolk | Dedham | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,673 |
25,237Highest |
6,927Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
| Dedham and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Norfolk and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.6% MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $200,720±$22k 93% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| Harvard and Norfolk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $725,200±$34k 29% above MA |
$661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,019±$598 15% above MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
| Dedham and Norfolk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,651 61% above MA |
$7,918Lowest 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±16 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Norfolk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.6%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #123 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | King Philip · Millis | — | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | — | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.