The Town FilesNorwell, Massachusetts
Town in Plymouth County · population 11,351 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $865,700
- Household income
- $188,699
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 51 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 39.2
Norwell is a town of 11,351 people in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $865,700, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for families than 97% of Massachusetts towns, more upscale than 88% of Massachusetts towns, better transit than 87% of Massachusetts towns.
How Norwell 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 Norwell is worth $865,700, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 4.6 times the median household income of $188,699, which is more affordable than 49% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $2,215 a month. 91.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Norwell | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $865,700 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $2,215 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $188,699 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.6× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 91.6% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Norwell
| People | Norwell | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.1% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69.6% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.7% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.4% | — |
| Work from home | 27.1% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 35.3 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.6% | 93.9% |
Weather in Norwell
July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 21.7°F. About 52.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 50.9 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 115 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Norwell since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 18, 2023 about 6.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 1 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 18, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 2, 2004.
Severe weather in Plymouth County since 1996
Plymouth County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| June 25, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4372: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Plymouth County
Plymouth County had 194,985 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,858 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Norwell itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Norwell
5 public schools with 3,226 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Shore Charter Public School (charter) | K-12 | 1,055 | 22.9 |
| Norwell High | 9-12 | 596 | 11.9 |
| Grace Farrar Cole | PK-5 | 541 | 14.6 |
| William G Vinal | PK-5 | 534 | 14.4 |
| Norwell Middle School | 6-8 | 500 | 11.9 |
Towns near Norwell
- Hanover, MA3.5 mi · 14,833 people · home $755,400
- North Scituate, MA4.3 mi · 5,414 people · home $824,800
- Scituate, MA4.5 mi · 5,620 people · home $821,600
- Scituate, MA4.8 mi · 19,063 people · home $847,600
- North Pembroke, MA5.0 mi · 3,490 people · home $536,000
- Hingham, MA5.2 mi · 24,284 people · home $1,134,200
- Rockland, MA5.2 mi · 17,803 people · home $472,900
- Hingham, MA6.0 mi · 5,979 people · home $1,255,700
Norwell questions
Is Norwell, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Norwell scores better for retirees than 35% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 46%. 16.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.2).
How much does a house cost in Norwell?
The median owner-occupied home in Norwell is valued at $865,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $188,699, so homes cost about 4.6 times income. Median rent is $2,215 a month.
What is the weather like in Norwell?
July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 21.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.3 inches of precipitation a year and 50.9 inches of snow.
Does Norwell get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Norwell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 18, 2023. 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)