5 things to know about living in Norwood
The Norfolk County town south of Boston is perfect for adventurous families.
As with many Massachusetts towns, Norwood has industrial roots, but the town began to change in the 1950s. A local tannery and other more industrial places of work closed down in the local south of Boston, and newer industries like Northrop and Raytheon moved into town. Around this same time Norwood saw extreme population growth.
Route 1 became what is now known as the “Automile,’’ as an abundance of car dealerships came to town. Ernie Boch has many dealerships along this stretch.
If you’re a Patriots fan, Norwood is just a short drive to the stadium, and, if not, there is plenty else to eat, drink, and do. Here’s a breakdown.
1. You’ll live in…
… an apartment or a historic home. At first, the boom in population in the 1940s, caused more single-family homes to be built. But, the city notes, “As land for this purpose became more expensive, the focus shifted to apartments, which now constitute a significant portion of the town’s housing stock.’’
If you do own a single family home that is more than 75 years old, you can join the Historic House Sign Program, to get a sign stating the year your house was built, complete with the town seal.
2. You’ll pay…
… a little under the median home price for Boston. The Zillow Home Value Index puts the median home price in Norwood at $403,900, while Boston’s is at $478,000. In Norwood, prices have gone up 5.1 percent in the last year and are expected to rise another 1.6 percent within the next year.
For $400,000 to $500,000 you can get a single family home or a condo of around 2,000 square feet. Norwood’s WalkScore is 46, so most errands around town need to be done with a car.
3. You’ll hang out…
… by staying physically active. Monster Mini Golf, Launch Trampoline Park, and Rock On Adventure are three of the top-rated TripAdvisor activities in town.
Norwood Sports Center, an old school candlepin bowling alley, also ranks highly on the list.
When it’s time to relax, you can head to one of the newest places to go in town: Castle Island Brewing Co., which The Boston Globe just profiled, noting the owner gave up on finding a space in Southie that was reasonably priced for him to brew. You can do tours, tastings, and buy beer to go.
There is a diverse range of highly rated restaurants in town, the first one being Café Paprika, which gets five stars on Yelp and serves up Moroccan food.
4. Your kids will…
… go to mostly above average schools. Norwood High School gets a 7 on the 1-10 GreatSchools rating, while Callahan Elementary Schools scored a 10. Most other schools get above a 4.
Mini Athletes is also a great spot for kids with the goal to “get the little ones off the sofa and increase their physical activity while having fun.’’
5. You’ll love…
… Luke Adams Glass, a local glass blowing studio. It hosts many classes for all levels of experience and ages, with teachers to help you along in the glass blowing process. If you don’t want to try yourself, they have premade glass-blown items that you can buy and take home with you.
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