What stands out worked out from the figures below

Norton has the most affordable homes ($501k median).

Concord has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Norton	Concord
People
Population	19,240Highest	18,223Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.6±1.2Lowest about the MA average	47.6±2Highest 19% above MA
Kids under 18	17.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.6%±2.6Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	17.4%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	23.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	79.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	12.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	5.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$124,535±$11kLowest 20% above MA	$195,350±$22kHighest 88% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$501,400±$27kLowest 11% below MA	$1,210,000±$72kHighest 115% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,911±$375Lowest 8% above MA	$2,631±$166Highest 49% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,929Lowest about the MA average	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.6%±8.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	53.2%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Concord and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA	1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 12% above MA	32 minLowest 11% above MA
Work from home	19%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	36.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#173 of 282 in MA	#10 of 282 in MA
School district	Norton	Concord · Concord-Carlisle
High school in town	Norton High	Concord Carlisle High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	11.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.