Residential comparison · 13 facts
Norwood, MA vs Wellesley, MA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Norwood needs about $76,500 in Wellesley to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Wellesley, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $93,500 in Norwood.
A few differences
- Wellesley is higher on median household income ($250,001 vs $107,030).
- Norwood is lower on cost of living index (133 vs 198).
- Norwood is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,177/mo vs $3,057/mo).
Norwood vs Wellesley · facet by facet
| Facet | Norwood, MA | Wellesley, MA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $651,700 | $1,582,700 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,177/mo | $3,057/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.14% | 1.14% |
| State & local income tax | 5% | 5% |
| Sales tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Cost of living index | 133 | 198 |
| Groceries index | 108 | 108 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $107,030 | $250,001 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% |
| Crime index | 30/100 | 30/100 |
| School rating | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 200 days | 200 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Norwood, MA · Wellesley, MA
Questions & answers
- Is Norwood cheaper than Wellesley?
- Norwood has the lower day-to-day cost index (133 vs 198 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Wellesley equals $85,000 in Norwood?
- A household earning $85,000 in Norwood needs about $76,500 in Wellesley to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Wellesley lifestyle costs about $93,500 in Norwood.