Norwood, MA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Norwood, MA Summary

Cost of living in Norwood research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Norwood is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Massachusetts, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Norwood is 153, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Norwood is 1.5x higher than the national average.

  • Norwood ranks as the #76 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 112.

  • Norwood ranks as the #5,771 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Norwood is $718,783.

  • The median income in Norwood is $97,110.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
153
Norwood's Overall Cost Of Living
1.5x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Norwood, MA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Norwood has an overall cost of living index of 153, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Massachusetts, Norwood has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Massachusetts's index of 134.

The standard of living in Norwood ranks as #76 most affordable out of the 112 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Norwood ranks as the #36 most expensive place in the Bay State.

For more reading on life in Norwood, check out:

76 out of 112
In Massachusetts
5,771 out of 6,489
In America

Norwood Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Norwood. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Norwood is 122.

  • The Groceries index in Norwood is 107.

  • The Health index in Norwood is 112.

  • The Housing index in Norwood is 224.

  • The Transportation index in Norwood is 116.

  • The Utilities index in Norwood is 135.

Living Expense Norwood Massachusetts National Average
Overall 153 134 100
Services 122 121 100
Groceries 107 106 100
Health 112 112 100
Housing 224 164 100
Transportation 116 120 100
Utilities 135 136 100
For more reading on cost of living around Massachusetts, check out:
Norwood Cost of Living Vs. MA

Norwood, MA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Massachusetts, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Norwood is $718,783.

  • The Median Rent in Norwood is $2,056.

  • The Median Income in Norwood is $97,110.

  • The Home Value To Income in Norwood is 7.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Norwood is 0.25x.

Statistic Norwood Massachusetts United States
Median Home Value $718,783 $649,115 $303,400
Median Rent $2,056 $1,687 $1,348
Median Income $97,110 $101,341 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.4x 6.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.2x 0.21x
$718,783
Median Home Value
$2,056
Median Rent
$97,110
Median Income

Norwood, MA Costs By Category

Detailed Norwood Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Norwood Massachusetts
Shampoo $1.49 $1.28
Movie $15.49 $12.13
Bowling $29.33 $18
Haircut $43.72 $24.26
Beauty Salon $65.56 $45.56

Detailed Norwood Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Norwood Massachusetts
Ground Beef $5.48 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.45 $1.57
Milk $4.76 $4.67
Potatoes $4.99 $4.93
Pizza $12.52 $12.09
Beer $10.21 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.53 $3.7

Detailed Norwood Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Norwood Massachusetts
Optometrist $123.17 $125.68
Doctor $157.89 $135.78
Dentist $149.22 $113.29

Detailed Norwood Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Norwood Massachusetts
Gasoline $3.43 $3.46
Tire Balancing $97.39 $59.92

Detailed Norwood Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Norwood Massachusetts
All Electricity $302.72 $193.99
Phone $187.85 $192.25

Norwood SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
5
Diversity
8
Safety
8.5
Amenities
9
Education
8.5
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Norwood

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Norwood. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Newton, MA has a cost of living index of 208, 1.4x Norwood.

  • Brookline, MA has a cost of living index of 221, 1.4x Norwood.

  • Arlington, MA has a cost of living index of 179, 1.2x Norwood.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Norwood
Newton, MA 88,504 208 1.4x
Brookline, MA 62,822 221 1.4x
Arlington, MA 46,015 179 1.2x
Lexington, MA 34,085 211 1.4x
Needham, MA 32,059 202 1.3x
Wellesley, MA 29,906 243 1.6x
Milton, MA 28,481 167 1.1x
Belmont, MA 27,009 204 1.3x
Dedham, MA 25,109 155 1.0x
Winchester, MA 22,862 212 1.4x

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