Norfolk County vs Suffolk County
Norfolk County, Massachusetts versus Suffolk County, Massachusetts: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Norfolk County and Suffolk County score about the same overall (43 vs 41 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Norfolk County | Suffolk County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $121k | $88k |
| Cost of Living | $84k | $82k |
| Home Value | $612k | $651k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $191k | $116k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.12% | 0.67% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.73% | 16.01% |
| Unemployment | 5.0% | 6.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.8 in | 49.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 50.9 in | 54.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 182 days | 181 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 83 days | 95 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 92.0 | 93.5 |
| Air Quality | 41 AQI | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 596/100k | 2314/100k |
| Property Crime | 819/100k | 1861/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 722,112 | 785,443 |
| Median Age | 40.7 | 33.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.44 | 0.68 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | D+37 | D+64 |
| White (%) | 71.4% | 43.8% |
| Black (%) | 6.8% | 18.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.2% | 23.5% |
| Asian (%) | 11.8% | 8.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.7% | 5.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 33 min | 31 min |
| Walkability | 11.3/20 | 15.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 18 mi | 4 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.4% | 89.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 2.80 | 34.99 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Norfolk County or Suffolk County more affordable?
- Suffolk County has the lower cost of living: its index is $82k, compared with Norfolk County's $84k and Suffolk County's $82k. Median rent is $2k in Norfolk County versus $2k in Suffolk County.
- Is Norfolk County or Suffolk County safer?
- Norfolk County has the lower violent crime rate. Norfolk County reports 596/100k and Suffolk County reports 2314/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Norfolk County or Suffolk County?
- The median home value is $612k in Norfolk County and $651k in Suffolk County, so homes are more affordable in Norfolk County.