Compare towns
Norfolk vs Upton vs Ware
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,673Highest |
8,189Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Upton and Ware 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% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Norfolk and Upton 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Norfolk 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±$33k 50% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Norfolk and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $725,200±$34kHighest 29% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,019±$598Highest 15% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,651Highest 61% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±16 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware 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% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 32.6%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Norfolk and Upton 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 | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | King Philip · Millis | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ware |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.