Compare towns
Brookfield vs Sharon vs New Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Sharon has the most kids (21% under 18).
New Durham has the highest household income ($100k).
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 | Brookfield | Sharon | New Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567Lowest |
1,577 |
2,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7Lowest 17% above U.S. |
46.5±7.5 20% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and New Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and New Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$31kLowest about the U.S. average |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
$100,194±$13kHighest 24% above U.S. |
| New Durham and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,000±$61kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
$339,400±$27kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Brookfield and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,386±$155Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,417±$116Highest about the U.S. average |
| New Durham and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,926Highest 90% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
$5,774Lowest 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| New Durham and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Sharon School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.