Compare towns
Norwood vs Ogunquit vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norwood has the most kids (20% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Salem has the most affordable homes ($543k 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 | Norwood | Ogunquit | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,542 |
1,379Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,030±$11k 33% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $651,700±$13k 96% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18kLowest 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,116±$83Highest 50% above U.S. |
— | $1,836±$84Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,111 96% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.3%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #176 of 282 in MA | — | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norwood | — | Salem |
| High school in town | Norwood High | — | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.