The Town FilesNorton, Massachusetts
Town in Bristol County · population 19,202 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $501,400
- Household income
- $124,535
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 39.6
Norton is a town of 19,202 people in Bristol County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $501,400, close to the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better transit than 82% of Massachusetts towns, better for young professionals than 77% of Massachusetts towns, more of a college town than 73% of Massachusetts towns.
How Norton ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Norton is worth $501,400, close to the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $124,535, which is more affordable than 74% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,911 a month. 83.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Norton | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $501,400 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,911 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $124,535 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 83.8% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Norton
| People | Norton | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.8% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.7% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.2% | — |
| Work from home | 19.0% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 32.5 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.8% | 93.9% |
Weather in Norton
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 18.3°F. About 52.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.5 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Norton since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 9, 1953 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 18, 2012.
Severe weather in Bristol County since 1996
Bristol County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4780: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| April 18, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4651: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Bristol County
Bristol County had 227,971 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,669 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Norton itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in Norton
5 public schools with 2,406 students, about 12.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norton High | 9-12 | 685 | 12.9 |
| Norton Middle | 6-8 | 559 | 14.0 |
| J C Solmonese | PK-3 | 526 | 13.5 |
| Henri A. Yelle | 4-5 | 333 | 10.4 |
| L G Nourse Elementary | K-3 | 303 | 12.6 |
Towns near Norton
- Norton Center, MA0.7 mi · 2,677 people · home $543,500
- Mansfield, MA4.0 mi · 23,860 people · home $603,500
- Mansfield Center, MA4.3 mi · 7,830 people · home $480,000
- Taunton, MA6.2 mi · 59,408 people · home $422,800
- Attleboro, MA6.2 mi · 46,461 people · home $448,100
- Easton, MA6.3 mi · 25,058 people · home $581,200
- Raynham Center, MA7.4 mi · 4,365 people · home $547,700
- Raynham, MA7.4 mi · 15,142 people · home $524,400
Norton questions
Is Norton, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Norton scores better for retirees than 51% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 41%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.6).
How much does a house cost in Norton?
The median owner-occupied home in Norton is valued at $501,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $124,535, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,911 a month.
What is the weather like in Norton?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 18.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.3 inches of precipitation a year and 49.5 inches of snow.
Does Norton get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Norton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 9, 1953. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)