Compare towns
Norton vs Devens 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).
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
Mansfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
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 | Devens | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,240 |
1,723Lowest |
23,931Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
41.4±1.3 4% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Norton and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.8% MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
51.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,535±$11kLowest 20% above MA |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$125,273±$15k 21% above MA |
| Devens and Mansfield 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 |
$556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$603,500±$28kHighest 7% above MA |
| Mansfield and Devens 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 |
$1,500±$539Lowest 15% 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 |
$5,556Lowest 7% below MA |
$7,226Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.6%±8.9 MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.3% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 12% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 19%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Devens and Mansfield 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 | — | #60 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norton | — | Mansfield |
| High school in town | Norton High | — | Mansfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.