Compare towns
Norfolk vs Townsend 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).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
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 | Townsend | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,673Highest |
9,100 |
6,927Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±1.3 4% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA |
| Harvard 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% |
21%±3.2Lowest 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% |
17.1%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Townsend and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.6% MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend 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 |
$121,528±$23kLowest 17% 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 |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,019±$598Highest 15% above MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
| Norfolk and Townsend 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 |
$6,031Lowest about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±16 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest 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% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 24% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.6%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #123 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | King Philip · Millis | North Middlesex | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.