Norwood Demographics

A Portrait of Norwood

Norwood is a compact, densely settled town of about 31,600 people wrapped around a walkable downtown and the Neponset River, roughly 15 miles from Boston. More than one in five residents was born outside the United States, and more than a quarter of households speak a language other than English at home, a reminder that this old mill and printing town keeps drawing new arrivals. Figures below are from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Follow the source links for the latest.

Key Figures

31,611Population (2020)

19.8%Foreign-born

$107kMedian household income

17.6%Age 65 and over

Sources: US Census Bureau (data.census.gov).

Population & Households

Under 18: 20.0%
Population (2020 Census): 31,611
Recent estimate: about 31,380
Households: 13,259
Persons per household: 2.3
Foreign-born: 19.8% of residents
Age 65 and over: 17.6%

Race & Ethnicity

White: 70.7%
Black or African American: 7.1%
Asian: 6.7%
Hispanic or Latino (any race): 10.0%
Two or more races: 9.9%
Speak a language other than English at home: 24.8%

Economy & Housing

Median household income: $107,030
Poverty rate: 8.8%
Median home value: $651,700
Median gross rent: $2,116
Homeownership: 54.0% of units
In the labor force: 70.8%

Registered Voters

Massachusetts publishes voter-registration counts by town through the Secretary of the Commonwealth. As in most of the state, Norwood’s largest bloc by far is voters who choose no party at all.

Total registered: 23,738
Unenrolled (no party): 15,754 (66.4%)
Democrats: 6,015 (25.3%)
Republicans: 1,750 (7.4%)
Political designations: 219 (0.9%)

Sources

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Norwood
MA Secretary of the Commonwealth, Voter Registration
MA DESE, Norwood Public Schools
Secretary of the Commonwealth, Massachusetts Elections Calendar: August 22, 2026 was the last day to register to vote and change party enrollment for the September 1, 2026 state primary (G. L. c. 51, sections 26 and 28), which is the date this enrollment count is as of.

See how Norwood fits into the broader Commonwealth.

Massachusetts Demographics

Back to Norwood Civics Online

Updated as of September 13, 2026.

Sources

Population and demographics: U.S. Census Bureau API, retrieved September 13, 2026.