Compare towns
Norfolk vs Upton vs Norwell vs Walpole
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 people working from home (32.6%).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Norwell has the most expensive homes ($866k median).
Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
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 | Upton | Norwell | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,673 |
8,189Lowest |
11,361 |
26,388Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±1.3 4% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
39.2±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
40.9±1.2 about the MA average |
| Upton and Norfolk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
28.5%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Norwell and Walpole 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%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±2 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Walpole 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% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
67.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Norwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $200,720±$22kHighest 93% above MA |
$155,508±$33kLowest 50% above MA |
$188,699±$25k 82% above MA |
$171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
| Norfolk and Norwell 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 |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$865,700±$35kHighest 54% above MA |
$687,100±$20k 22% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,019±$598 15% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,215±$336Highest 26% above MA |
$2,205±$222 25% above MA |
| Norwell and Walpole 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 |
$8,376Lowest 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,523 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±16 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
67.1%±24.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Norwell 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.7% MA: 10% |
3.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
35 min 21% above MA |
34 minLowest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.6%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.1%±4.5 MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Norfolk and Walpole 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #80 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | King Philip · Millis | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Norwell | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Norwell High | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
11.7Highest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.