Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Norway grades D overall, 133rd of 142 graded towns in Maine, mostly because of schools and health. Its schools rank behind 87% of the state's. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 86% of the country. It also has a long history, with 3 places on the National Register. Its National Register listings include Norway Historic District and Nathaniel and Elizabeth Bennett House. Only 7 of the 143 Maine towns we compare have a higher share of residents below the poverty line than Norway. Witt Swamp Preserve, at 260 acres with 2.2 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
Where Norway beats most towns.
Norway Historic District
Census counts: 609 in 1800, 5,077 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1869 and 4 maps from 1896 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maine), ordered by how far Norway is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Norway, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Norway.
Norway trades workers with Paris and other neighbors, but it has poverty well above the Maine rate and scores below Oxford and its other neighbors on health.
Its public schools are run by RSU 17/MSAD 17. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Oxford Hills Comprehensive H S, with 1,010 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guy E Rowe SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 428 | D− |
| Oxford Hills Comprehensive H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,010 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within ME on state tests and graduation
All 5 graded neighbors score healthier than its D, from Oxford (C−) to Harrison (C+).
19% of adults report frequent physical distress in Norway, against 14% in Maine’s towns and 14% across U.S. towns. 26% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Norway. Norway beats the Maine average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 19.
| Norway | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 11% | 12% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 19% | 19% |
| What stands out | Norway | ME |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79% | 76.4% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 17.6% | 10.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Norway | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 6.7% | 4.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Roberts Farm Preserve | 3.9 mi | 204 |
| 2. Witt Swamp Preserve | 2.2 mi | 260 |
| 3. Shepard's Farm Preserve | 0.9 mi | 27 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities. Since 1986, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Norway.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Norway has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. At 79°F, Norway’s July high is near the Maine town median (79°F) and below the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The typical Norway home is worth about $335,000, up 0.7% in a year, 19% below the Maine typical home. Norway’s median rent is $770 a month.
| Norway | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $770 a month | $1,108 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 71% | 81% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Norway has about as many jobs (2,031) as working residents, but only 264 people both live and work here. The average commute takes 34.3 minutes, against 24.6 across Maine.
Most working residents leave Norway for work: only 12% work in town. The average trip to work in Norway is 34 minutes. Jobs based in Norway grew to 2,031 in 2023, 313 more than in 2013.
| Norway | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 34 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $54,000 | $78,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 12% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2025, 0.4 per 1,000 residents.
Maine has less reported crime than most states, so among its own towns Norway sits closer to the middle.
| Norway | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.4 per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 11.7 per 1,000 residents | 7.4 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Norway. Close and well known come first.
Big draw35 mi MountainMount Washington
28 mi Scenic railwayConway Scenic Railroad
29 mi Theme parkStory Land21 mi Ski areaSunday River146 runs · 2,322 ft vertical33 mi Ski areaAttitash Mountain Resort85 runs · 1,662 ft vertical
39 mi LandmarkWilley House, New HampshireMount Washington: wwoods, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Conway Scenic Railroad: Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Story Land: AnotherMaker, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Willey House, New Hampshire: alans1948, CC BY 2.0
None within 15 miles of Norway; the nearest are
About 5 of every 100 Norway residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Maine.
3 places in Norway on the National Register of Historic Places.
7 notable people were born in Norway.
Town in Maine, United States
Norway is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. Norway was included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England City and Town Area. The population was 5,077 at the 2020 census. The town contains the census-designated place of the same name. It is home to Pennesseewassee Lake, a freshwater lake and recreation area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
7 towns share a border with Norway.
| Town | ME rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | #133 | D | B− | B | D | D |
| Paris | #122 | D | C− | B | D | C |
| South Paris | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Greenwood | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Waterford | — | — | C+ | — | D | C+ |
| Otisfield | — | — | C− | — | D | C− |
| Harrison | #136 | D | B | — | D | C+ |
| Oxford | #132 | D | B | C− | D | C− |
Waterford and Otisfield have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Waterford, Otisfield and Harrison report no FBI crime data of their own. South Paris and Greenwood aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Norway with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Norway grades D overall, better than 9% of U.S. towns and #133 of 142 in Maine. It grades D for health, B for safety and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.
Yes, by national standards. Maine has less crime than most states, so among its own towns Norway sits nearer the middle.
That is 5.6 years of the area's median household income ($60,173 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
7 notable people were born here, including Sidney Irving Smith and Donald B. Partridge.
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