Compare towns
Norfolk vs Smithfield vs Franklin Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norfolk has the most people working from home (32.6%).
Smithfield has the most affordable homes ($446k 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 | Smithfield | Franklin Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,673Lowest |
22,233 |
33,154Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±1.3 7% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Smithfield 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Norfolk and Franklin Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.3%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $200,720±$22kHighest 149% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$145,773±$9k 81% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $725,200±$34kHighest 118% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$611,700±$17k 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,019±$598Highest 43% above U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,899±$156 34% above U.S. |
| Norfolk and Franklin Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,651Highest 209% above U.S. |
$5,207Lowest 67% above U.S. |
$7,044 126% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.6%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #123 of 282 in MA | #8 of 38 in RI | #64 of 282 in MA |
| School district | King Philip · Millis | Smithfield | Franklin · Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | Smithfield High School | Franklin High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.