Compare towns
Northampton vs Beverly vs Norwood
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northampton has the most affordable homes ($430k median).
Beverly has the most homeowners (60.1%).
Norwood has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Northampton | Beverly | Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962Lowest |
42,665Highest |
31,542 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2Highest 3% above MA |
39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Northampton and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Norwood and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Northampton and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
$106,044±$7k about the MA average |
$107,030±$11kHighest about the MA average |
| Norwood and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17kLowest 24% below MA |
$650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
$651,700±$13kHighest 16% above MA |
| Norwood and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75Lowest 18% below MA |
$1,771±$106 about the MA average |
$2,116±$83Highest 20% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,680Lowest 5% below MA |
$6,836Highest 14% above MA |
$6,111 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2 MA: 51.8% |
54.3%±7.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
9.4% MA: 10% |
8.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3% MA: 62.5% |
60.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 26% below MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Beverly 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 | #159 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA | #176 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Beverly | Norwood |
| High school in town | Northampton High | Beverly High | Norwood High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
12.2 |
11.5Lowest |
| 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.