Compare towns
Norwood vs Canton vs Beverly
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norwood has the most renters (46% rent).
Canton has the highest household income ($143k).
Beverly has the shortest commute (30 min average).
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 | Norwood | Canton | Beverly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,542 |
24,748Lowest |
42,665Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Canton and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Beverly and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,030±$11k about the MA average |
$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $651,700±$13k 16% above MA |
$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
$650,300±$13kLowest 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,116±$83 20% above MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
| Canton and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,111Lowest about the MA average |
$6,560 9% above MA |
$6,836Highest 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.3%±7.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Beverly and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
60.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Canton and Beverly 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 | #176 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norwood | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Beverly |
| High school in town | Norwood High | Canton High | Beverly High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.2 |
| 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.