Compare towns
Norwell vs Acton vs Pembroke
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norwell has the most kids (28.5% under 18).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Pembroke has the most affordable homes ($587k median).
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 | Norwell | Acton | Pembroke |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,361Lowest |
24,155Highest |
18,382 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
45.5±3.3Highest 14% above MA |
| Pembroke and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.5%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Norwell and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Pembroke and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.6% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $188,699±$25kHighest 82% above MA |
$158,230±$14k 52% above MA |
$146,285±$17kLowest 41% above MA |
| Norwell and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $865,700±$35kHighest 54% above MA |
$807,300±$20k 44% above MA |
$586,500±$28kLowest 4% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,215±$336 26% above MA |
$1,986±$155Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,464±$753Highest 40% above MA |
| Pembroke and Norwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,585Lowest 10% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.1%±24.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
42.1%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Norwell and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 21% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
35 minLowest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 27.1%±4.5 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Acton and Norwell 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 | #80 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #82 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norwell | Acton-Boxborough | Pembroke |
| High school in town | Norwell High | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Pembroke High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
13.5Highest |
12.3 |
| 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.