Compare towns
Norfolk vs Ware 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).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k 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 | Ware | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,673Highest |
10,048 |
6,927Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA |
| Harvard 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below 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 |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,019±$598Highest 15% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,321±$424 25% below MA |
| Norfolk and Harvard 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 |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±16Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Ware 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% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.6%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #123 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | King Philip · Millis | Ware | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.