Compare towns
Norfolk vs Windham 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%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Franklin Town has the most renters (21.8% rent).
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 | Windham | Franklin Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,673Lowest |
16,038 |
33,154Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±1.3Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Norfolk and Franklin Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Norfolk 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% |
15.5%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Franklin Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.3%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $200,720±$22kHighest 149% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19k 135% above U.S. |
$145,773±$9kLowest 81% above U.S. |
| Norfolk and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $725,200±$34kHighest 118% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50k 117% above U.S. |
$611,700±$17kLowest 84% above U.S. |
| Norfolk and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,019±$598 43% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,899±$156Lowest 34% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,651 209% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,044Lowest 126% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Norfolk and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.6%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #64 of 282 in MA |
| School district | King Philip · Millis | Windham School District | Franklin · Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Franklin High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
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.