Town · Massachusetts
Norwell, Massachusetts
Norwell, town, in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Norwell had 11,546 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 11,351 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 11,361 (±30). GEOID 2502350145.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
11,546
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 11,351 · ACS 2020-2024: 11,361 ±30
Median household income
$188,699
±$24,745 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $103,960
Median home value
$865,700
±$34,690 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $562,100
Median gross rent
$2,215
±$336 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $1,762
Where is Norwell and what county is it in?
Norwell is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. It covers 20.9 square miles of land, 542 residents per square mile in 2020.
Norwell is in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 7 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Norwell, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 11,546 people lived in Norwell on July 1, 2025, up 1.7% since 2020, in line with Massachusetts (+1.7%). The 2020 Census counted 11,351 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 11,361 (±30).
| Measure | Norwell | Plymouth County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 11,361±30 | 535,075 | +307 |
| Households | 3,685±162 | 203,141 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.02±0.13 | 2.58 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 3,827±170 | 218,096 | no clear change |
Norwell's population since 2000
From 9,765 in 2000 to 11,546 in 2025: up 18.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Norwell as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Norwell?
The median resident of Norwell is 39.2 years old; 28.5% are under 18 and 16.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 90.1%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.2%. 3.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Norwell | Plymouth County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2±1.4 | 43.0 | −3.0 |
| Under 18 years | 28.5%±2.4 pts | 20.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.1%±1.7 pts | 19.8% | – |
| Male | 49.6%±2.3 pts | 48.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.8%±1.6 pts | 4.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 90.1%±2.7 pts | 76.1% | −4.4 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.5%±0.3 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.1%±1.9 pts | 1.7% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.2%±1.4 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.2 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.4%±1.2 pts | 11.2% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.9%±1.9 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.2%±1.2 pts | 5.7% | – |
| With a disability | 9.3%±2.4 pts | 11.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 0.7%±0.6 pts | 2.5% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.9%±1.1 pts | 93.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 69.6%±3.0 pts | 41.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 28.0%±3.1 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.5%±2.0 pts | 91.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.2%±0.9 pts | 0.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Norwell earn?
Half of Norwell's 3,685 households earn less than $188,699 a year (±$24,745), against $114,201 in Plymouth County and $103,960 in Massachusetts. In 2015-2019 it was $194,434 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 2.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Norwell | Plymouth County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $188,699±$24,745 | $114,201 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $242,067±$20,286 | $151,136 | – |
| Per capita income | $78,866±$6,259 | $57,650 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 2.7%±1.5 pts | 7.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 3.3%±2.9 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 5.7%±2.9 pts | 12.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.3%±1.3 pts | 95.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 97.6%±1.4 pts | 92.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Norwell?
Owners occupy 91.6% of Norwell's occupied homes and renters 8.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $865,700 by its owner (±$34,690). The median renter pays $2,215 a month including utilities, and 47.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Norwell | Plymouth County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $865,700±$34,690 | $556,000 | +$117,069 |
| Median gross rent | $2,215±$336 | $1,747 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 47.0%±22.4 pts | 45.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $3,815±$228 | $2,799 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 91.6%±2.7 pts | 77.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 8.4%±2.7 pts | 22.4% | – |
| Housing units | 3,827±170 | 218,096 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±12.8 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 91.2%±2.3 pts | 69.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.8%±0.6 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.3%±0.7 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.8%±2.1 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 17.6%±3.8 pts | 21.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.3%±1.2 pts | 6.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Norwell building?
Builders took permits for 11 new housing units in Norwell in 2025 (11 in single-family houses), 1.0 per 1,000 residents against 1.7 across Massachusetts.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Norwell work and get to work?
60.5% of Norwell's workers drive alone and 27.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 35.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 1.9%.
| Measure | Norwell | Plymouth County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.4%±3.0 pts | 66.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.9%±0.9 pts | 5.1% | −1.5 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 60.5%±5.0 pts | 70.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.4%±2.5 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 4.4%±1.5 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Walked | 2.1%±0.9 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 27.1%±4.7 pts | 16.2% | +21.0 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 35.3 min±2.7 | 32.5 min | −4.0 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Norwell?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Norwell (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $180,369 (Tract 5041.01) to $208,485 (Tract 5041.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 5041.02Plymouth County | 5,984 | $208,485 |
| Tract 5041.01Plymouth County | 5,377 | $180,369 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Norwell) · Census block assignment files
How does Norwell compare with other places in Massachusetts?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Norwell is the 1,079th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 90th-most populous of 266 in Massachusetts.
Norwell ranks 40th of 453 places in Massachusetts with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 90th | 266 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 138th | 292 |
| Residents per square mile | 307th | 461 |
| Median household income | 40th | 453 |
| Per capita income | 69th | 460 |
| Median home value | 54th | 459 |
| Median gross rent | 51st | 410 |
| Poverty rate | 319th | 338 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56th | 459 |
| Median age | 400th | 461 |
| Owner-occupied share | 50th | 460 |
| Work from home | 82nd | 429 |
| Travel time to work | 68th | 459 |
Norwell's figures with every place in Massachusetts (CSV)
Every place in Massachusetts, sortable · Compare Norwell with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Norwell?
11 of the 57 figures for Norwell on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Norwell are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.