Compare towns
Barnet vs Dover vs Sharon vs Wallingford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k median).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
Sharon has the most renters (20.3% rent).
Wallingford has the shortest commute (25 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Barnet | Dover | Sharon | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,855 |
5,930Highest |
1,577Lowest |
2,286 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±5.3Highest 23% above U.S. |
44.9±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
45.9±10.8 18% above U.S. |
| Barnet and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
84.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,386±$15kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
$80,230±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $247,900±$24kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 303% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
$261,900±$44k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $974±$72 31% below U.S. |
$2,917±$2kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
$891±$95Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Dover and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,489 44% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
$4,355Lowest 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barnet and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.2%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Sharon School District | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.