Population 31,542 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Norwood
Household size in Norwood
| Period | Norwood | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.42 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.37 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Norwood is a place of small households, averaging 2.37 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.42, as it has nationally. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the northeast.
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 Norwood
| Period | Norwood | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.8 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.1 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.6 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.8 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.0 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Norwood is 41.8 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. The Boston area as a whole looks much the same. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Norwood
| Period | Norwood | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.2% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in ten households in Norwood (9.2%), below the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across the Boston area.
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 Norwood
Renters in Norwood
| Period | Norwood | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.3% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 42.8% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.5% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 46.0% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Norwood than nationally: 46.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 35.5% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 4.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Norwood
| Period | Norwood | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.2% of homes in Norwood are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.6 points, as it has nationally.
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 Norwood
| Period | Norwood | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1956 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1959 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1961 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Norwood is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1961, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1956 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
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 Norwood
| Period | Norwood | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,134 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,195 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,459 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,895 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$761 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Norwood costs $1,895 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the Boston area as a whole ($2,051). Rent has climbed $761 a month since 2006–10, up 67%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.5% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Norwood
Bachelor's degrees in Norwood
| Period | Norwood | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.8% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 42.8% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.7% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 55.2% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +15.3 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Norwood: 55.2% 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 15.3 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Norwood
| Period | Norwood | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.8% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.8% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.8% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.4% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Norwood is above the national rate: 93.4% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Compared with other Massachusetts cities, though, Norwood has a lower share of high school graduates than most.
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 Norwood
| Period | Norwood | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.7% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Norwood than nationally: unemployment was 3.7%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Norwood 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwood | 2.37 | 41.8 | 9.2% | 46.0% | 4.2% | 1961 | $1,895 | 55.2% | 93.4% | 3.7% |
| Westwood | 2.95 | 43.7 | 5.2% | 12.6% | 4.7% | 1970 | $2,595 | 72.8% | 95.7% | 1.9% |
| East Walpole | 2.89 | 38.8 | 4.9% | 19.0% | 11.8% | 1969 | $2,447 | 68.6% | 98.1% | 4.5% |
| Walpole | 2.79 | 41.7 | 5.6% | 15.9% | 5.6% | 1979 | $1,820 | 67.4% | 98.2% | 5.3% |
| Canton | 2.58 | 42.8 | 10.6% | 26.4% | 3.9% | 1979 | $2,415 | 66.8% | 96.1% | 3.4% |
| Dedham | 2.34 | 45.6 | 8.3% | 27.0% | 4.3% | 1960 | $2,117 | 55.7% | 93.7% | 3.5% |
| Medfield | 2.79 | 44.3 | 4.8% | 14.0% | 4.0% | 1970 | $1,980 | 77.7% | 97.4% | 4.2% |
| Dover | 3.08 | 44.7 | 5.9% | 2.1% | 5.4% | 1972 | $3,065 | 84.9% | 97.2% | 7.0% |
| Sharon | 2.96 | 42.4 | 5.9% | 12.4% | 4.4% | 1971 | $2,696 | 77.5% | 98.7% | 2.9% |
| Hyde Park | 2.82 | 39.0 | 19.8% | 45.5% | 4.5% | 1955 | $1,967 | 36.7% | 89.2% | 6.6% |
| Stoughton | 2.57 | 45.6 | 11.9% | 27.3% | 4.6% | 1967 | $2,012 | 41.8% | 90.3% | 4.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Garden City, KS · Sand Springs, OK · San Sebastian, PR · San Carlos, CA · Rockford, MI · Niles, IL · Lady Lake, FL · Indiana, PA · Helena, MT · Garfield, NJ
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 Norwood. 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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