Compare towns
Norfolk vs Reading vs Franklin Town
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 highest household income ($201k).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Franklin Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
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 | Norfolk | Reading | Franklin Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,673Lowest |
25,612 |
33,154Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±1.3 4% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
| Reading and Norfolk 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% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Norfolk and Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.6% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
58.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $200,720±$22kHighest 93% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$145,773±$9kLowest 40% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $725,200±$34k 29% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$611,700±$17kLowest 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,019±$598Highest 15% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,899±$156Lowest 8% above MA |
| Norfolk and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,651Highest 61% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
$7,044Lowest 18% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±16Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Norfolk and Franklin Town 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
78.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
33 min 12% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.6%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Norfolk and Reading 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 | #123 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #64 of 282 in MA |
| School district | King Philip · Millis | — | Franklin · Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Franklin High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.8 |
| 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.