What stands out worked out from the figures below

Beverly has the most people working from home (22.3%).

Sharon has the most homeowners (93.1%).

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	Beverly	Sharon
People
Population	42,665Highest	442Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average	49.4±11.2Highest 27% above U.S.
	Sharon and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±8.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Sharon and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	31.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	53.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	1.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,044±$7kLowest 31% above U.S.	$113,125±$19kHighest 40% above U.S.
	Sharon and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$650,300±$13kHighest 95% above U.S.	$475,900±$38kLowest 43% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,771±$106Highest 25% above U.S.	$1,458±$1kLowest 3% above U.S.
	Beverly and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,836Lowest 119% above U.S.	$8,274Highest 165% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	28.6%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Beverly and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	60.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	93.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 14% above U.S.	32 minHighest 21% above U.S.
Work from home	22.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	11.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#144 of 282 in MA	—
School district	Beverly	—
High school in town	Beverly High	—
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2	—
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.