This Colonial-style home known as “The Milton,” located on a new 17-lot subdivision in Norton, is being offered for sale at $749,000. It includes four bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms and a fireplace.

Twenty-five years ago Norton was considered by some to be the “ugly ducking” of Bristol County. While the rest of its neighborhood brothers and sisters were enjoying popularity and prosperity, Norton was waiting in the wings. However, like the story goes, this ugly ducking has grown up and now has a variety of prospective buyers flocking to find a home there.

Jim MulCahy of Jim MulCahy Real Estate in Norton remembers the days when Norton was still waiting for its close-up.

“People used to call to ask about a listing. They’d say, ‘Where is it?’ We’d say, ‘In Norton.’ Then they’d yell, ‘I wouldn’t live in Norton on a bet!’ and slam the phone down,” said MulCahy.

“We used to go on a tour of properties in Foxboro and Mansfield and reluctantly added Norton,” he added. “We’d go on the tour, start in Foxborough and by the time we got around to Norton, everyone would be gone. No one had any interest. It was farmland; [it was] boonie hickville.”

But then something changed. With prices on the rise in surrounding communities, Norton began to get some people who wanted the Bristol County location without emptying out their wallets. Norton’s population grew from 14,265 in 1990 to 18,036 in 2000, an increase of 26 percent, according to the U.S. Census. And in the past 25 years, the town has grown by over 60 percent, according to the town’s Web site.

And although the beginnings of the town’s revitalizations may have been due to lower prices, Norton is catching up. The median price of a single-family home in the town as of March was $283,000, compared to $304,450 in North Attleboro and $345,000 in Mansfield, according to statistics compiled by The Warren Group, parent company of Banker &Tradesman.

“Just when you think the prices can’t go any higher, they take another step,” said MulCahy about Norton’s market. “It’s just unbelievable.”

While it may have taken awhile, people have begun to notice that Norton does in fact have a lot to offer.

With the addition of a leg of highway, Norton is two miles from the intersection of Interstates 95 and 495, two miles from the I-495/Route 140 intersection and close to the Attleboro and Mansfield train stations. Its central location makes it an ideal place for those who are commuting but still want to enjoy a more rural environment.

“We get a lot of people who work in Providence [R.I.], people that work in Boston. The majority of cars parked at the Mansfield train station are from Norton,” said MulCahy. “A lot of young professional couples in their mid-30s are moving in. Stock brokers, lawyers, engineers.”

Diane Casagni, Norton’s town clerk, said, “[The town’s] been growing a lot in the past few years. I think we have a whole variety [of residents] here. People who have lived here all their lives, people like me who have lived here only 30 years and a lot of newcomers.”

Norton is bringing in people not only due to its proximity to the city, but also its closeness to other attractions such as the Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts, located on the border of Norton and Mansfield; Wheaton College, which lies within the town’s boundaries; and a variety of lakes and rivers.

In order to counteract the recent growth, measures have been taken to preserve the pastoral quality of the town.

“There’s a vast amount of unbuildable land. There are vegetative wetlands, land owned by the Land Preservation Society that will ensure and guarantee open space,” said MulCahy.

Although Norton offers the amenities of being close to everything, it is in essence a retreat from the city and all the trappings of urban life.

“It has a nice relaxing atmosphere,” said MulCahy. “It’s like vacationing at home.”

Just the Facts:

Year incorporated:

As a town: 1711

Total area:

29.82 square miles

Population:

18,036

Density:

618 per square mile

Tax rates

Residential: $11.92
Commercial: $11.92

Total number of housing units:

5,961

Single-family building permits:

84 (2003)

Public school enrollment:

3,210