Compare towns
Rockland vs Ware vs Norwell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Norwell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).
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 | Rockland | Ware | Norwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,701Highest |
10,048Lowest |
11,361 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±3.3 about the MA average |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
39.2±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Ware and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
28.5%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Norwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.7% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Norwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,405±$12k 8% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$188,699±$25kHighest 82% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,900±$21k 16% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$865,700±$35kHighest 54% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,610±$255 9% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$2,215±$336Highest 26% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,487 8% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±10.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
67.1%±24.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Norwell and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.5% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 21% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.7%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #175 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #80 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Rockland | Ware | Norwell |
| High school in town | Rockland Senior High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Norwell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.7 |
| 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.