Middlesex County vs Norfolk County
A side-by-side comparison of Middlesex County and Norfolk County: population, income, housing, and more.
Middlesex County and Norfolk County are counties in Massachusetts. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Middlesex County has the higher population (1,622,896 vs 724,540 in Norfolk County). Middlesex County has the higher median household income ($126,779 vs $126,497 in Norfolk County). Middlesex County has the higher median home value ($687,200 vs $649,400 in Norfolk County).
Population, income & housing
| Middlesex County | Norfolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,622,896 | 724,540 |
| Median age | 38.9 yrs | 40.9 yrs |
| Median household income | $126,779 | $126,497 |
| Median home value | $687,200 | $649,400 |
| Median gross rent | $2,126 | $2,072 |
| Housing units | 660,814 | 293,420 |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 68.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.0% | 57.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.9% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Middlesex County | Norfolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,600,842 → 1,622,896 (+1.4%) | 700,437 → 724,540 (+3.4%) |
| Median household income | $102,603 → $126,779 (+23.6%) | $103,291 → $126,497 (+22.5%) |
| Median home value | $500,700 → $687,200 (+37.2%) | $470,800 → $649,400 (+37.9%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,636 → $2,126 (+30.0%) | $1,589 → $2,072 (+30.4%) |
Middlesex County
1,600,8421,622,896
$102,603$126,779
$500,700$687,200
$1,636$2,126
Norfolk County
700,437724,540
$103,291$126,497
$470,800$649,400
$1,589$2,072
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Middlesex County | Norfolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.5% | 15.5% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.6% | 8.6% |
| 25 to 34 | 15.1% | 12.9% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.8% | 13.3% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.1% | 14.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.3% | 10.0% |
| 75 and over | 6.7% | 7.4% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Middlesex County | Norfolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 66.7% | 70.0% |
| Black or African American | 4.8% | 6.9% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 13.1% | 12.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 1.3% | 1.0% |
| Two or more races | 5.0% | 4.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.0% | 5.5% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Middlesex County | Norfolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 6.6% | 5.6% |
| High school graduate | 17.5% | 17.4% |
| Some college or associate's | 17.0% | 19.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 28.8% | 30.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 30.2% | 27.7% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Middlesex County | Norfolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 56.0% | 59.0% |
| Carpooled | 6.4% | 5.6% |
| Public transit | 8.0% | 9.5% |
| Walked | 4.2% | 3.2% |
| Bicycle | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Worked from home | 22.2% | 20.6% |
| Other means | 1.6% | 1.5% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Middlesex County | Norfolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 46.9% | 56.7% |
| 1-unit, attached | 6.9% | 5.5% |
| 2 to 4 units | 20.6% | 12.3% |
| 5 to 19 units | 9.7% | 10.5% |
| 20 or more units | 15.3% | 14.7% |
| Mobile home & other | 0.4% | 0.4% |
Poverty & households
| Middlesex County | Norfolk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.5% | 6.6% |
| Average household size | 2.48 | 2.51 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 30 | 33 |
| Median year structure built | 1961 | 1964 |
Full profiles
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