Compare towns
Norwood vs Ogunquit vs Sharon vs Northampton
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 renters (46% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Sharon has the highest household income ($192k).
Northampton has the most affordable homes ($430k 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 | Sharon | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,542Highest |
1,379Lowest |
18,574 |
30,962 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
42.5±1 9% above U.S. |
41.3±2.2 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
76.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,030±$11k 33% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$191,835±$19kHighest 138% above U.S. |
$80,288±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $651,700±$13k 96% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$737,100±$33k 122% above U.S. |
$429,700±$17kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,116±$83 50% above U.S. |
— | $2,310±$345Highest 63% above U.S. |
$1,439±$75Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Sharon and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,111 96% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,680 82% 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% |
49%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northampton 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% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.1%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Sharon 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 | — | #23 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norwood | — | Sharon | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Norwood High | — | Sharon High | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
— | 11.9 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.