Compare towns
Norton vs Bourne vs Mansfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norton has the most affordable homes ($501k median).
Bourne has the oldest population (median age 52).
Mansfield has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Norton | Bourne | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,240Lowest |
20,323 |
23,931Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
41.4±1.3 4% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
51.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,535±$11k 20% above MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$125,273±$15kHighest 21% above MA |
| Mansfield and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $501,400±$27kLowest 11% below MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$603,500±$28kHighest 7% above MA |
| Mansfield and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,911±$375Highest 8% above MA |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,803±$147 about the MA average |
| Norton and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,929 about the MA average |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$7,226Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.6%±8.9 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 12% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 19%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Mansfield and Norton 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 | #173 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norton | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Mansfield |
| High school in town | Norton High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Mansfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
9.8Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| 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.