What stands out worked out from the figures below

Belvidere has the most affordable homes ($239k median).

Sharon has the most expensive homes ($476k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Belvidere	Sharon
People
Population	422Lowest	442Highest
Median age	40.7±6.5Lowest 5% above U.S.	49.4±11.2Highest 27% above U.S.
	Sharon and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±8.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Sharon and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	8.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	31.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	41.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	1.6%±3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sharon and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,563±$18kLowest about the U.S. average	$113,125±$19kHighest 40% above U.S.
	Sharon and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$239,200±$51kLowest 28% below U.S.	$475,900±$38kHighest 43% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,542±$1kHighest 9% above U.S.	$1,458±$1kLowest 3% above U.S.
	Belvidere and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S.	$8,274Highest 165% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±53.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	28.6%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Belvidere and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	93.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.	1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 42% above U.S.	32 minLowest 21% above U.S.
Work from home	9.4%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	11.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Sharon and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.