What stands out worked out from the figures below

Norton has the highest household income ($125k).

Springfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).

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.

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

Measure	Norton	Springfield
People
Population	19,240Lowest	154,749Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+1.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.6±1.2Highest about the MA average	33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA
Kids under 18	17.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	17.4%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%	13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	12.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	7.5%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$124,535±$11kHighest 20% above MA	$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$501,400±$27kHighest 11% below MA	$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,911±$375Highest 8% above MA	$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,929Highest about the MA average	$3,695Lowest 38% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.6%±8.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Springfield 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%	25.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA	1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 12% above MA	20 minLowest 31% below MA
Work from home	19%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6%	8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#173 of 282 in MA	#276 of 282 in MA
School district	Norton	Springfield
High school in town	Norton High	Springfield Central High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	12.2Highest
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.