Population 11,862 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Norfolk
Household size in Norfolk
| Period | Norfolk | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.91 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.92 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.97 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.94 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Norfolk are large by national standards, averaging 2.94 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.91, even as the national average fell. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 19 have larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Norfolk
| Period | Norfolk | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.0 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.6 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.7 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.0 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.1 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Norfolk skews older than the country: its median age is 43.0, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.0, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the northeast, the oldest in the southeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Norfolk
| Period | Norfolk | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.6% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 3.3% of households in Norfolk, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 2.2 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only three have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Norfolk
Renters in Norfolk
| Period | Norfolk | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Norfolk is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 5.1% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than a quarter of owners (27.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 1.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Norfolk
| Period | Norfolk | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.9% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.5% of homes in Norfolk are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.7 points, as it has nationally. Norfolk has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Norfolk
| Period | Norfolk | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Norfolk are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1981, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the Boston area overall, where the median home dates to 1964. The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the southeast.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Norfolk
| Period | Norfolk | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $986 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,272 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,078 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,931 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$945 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Norfolk runs $1,931 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the Boston area as a whole ($2,051). Rent has climbed $945 a month since 2006–10, up 96%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 40.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Norfolk
Bachelor's degrees in Norfolk
| Period | Norfolk | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.0% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 56.4% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 56.9% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 68.3% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +17.3 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Norfolk: 68.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 17.3 points, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Norfolk
| Period | Norfolk | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.9% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.5% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.0% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.4% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Norfolk: 96.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.5 points, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Norfolk
| Period | Norfolk | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Norfolk runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. The Boston area as a whole looks much the same. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Norfolk compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk | 2.94 | 43.0 | 3.3% | 5.1% | 3.5% | 1981 | $1,931 | 68.3% | 96.4% | 4.6% |
| South Walpole | 3.31 | 37.1 | 2.2% | 16.0% | 2.5% | 1978 | $1,445 | 67.9% | 96.9% | 4.9% |
| Millis | 2.69 | 45.5 | 5.5% | 16.9% | 4.9% | 1972 | $1,589 | 55.9% | 96.0% | 4.5% |
| Wrentham | 2.77 | 46.9 | 7.6% | 17.9% | 6.6% | 1984 | $1,296 | 54.9% | 91.9% | 6.4% |
| Franklin Town | 2.64 | 40.9 | 8.9% | 21.8% | 6.5% | 1978 | $1,888 | 58.4% | 97.8% | 5.2% |
| Walpole | 2.79 | 41.7 | 5.6% | 15.9% | 5.6% | 1979 | $1,820 | 67.4% | 98.2% | 5.3% |
| West Foxboro | 2.62 | 53.2 | 7.3% | 3.9% | 3.6% | 1977 | $1,379 | 72.4% | 94.6% | 4.6% |
| Medfield | 2.79 | 44.3 | 4.8% | 14.0% | 4.0% | 1970 | $1,980 | 77.7% | 97.4% | 4.2% |
| Harding | 2.54 | 57.0 | 1.2% | 7.4% | 11.0% | 1981 | $1,349 | 52.7% | 88.8% | 2.4% |
| Medway | 2.82 | 42.0 | 5.2% | 14.0% | 1.2% | 1975 | $1,573 | 62.8% | 96.0% | 3.8% |
| Foxborough | 2.36 | 41.9 | 14.2% | 45.0% | 3.0% | 1969 | $1,724 | 51.0% | 96.8% | 5.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Cheval, FL · Chalco, NE · Chamblee, GA · Chappaqua, NY · Charlton, MA · Cheboygan, MI · Chelsea, AL · Chelsea, MI · Cheraw, SC · Central, SC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Norfolk. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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