Compare towns
Canton vs Sharon vs Walpole
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Sharon has the highest household income ($192k).
Walpole has the shortest commute (34 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 | Canton | Sharon | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748 |
18,574Lowest |
26,388Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
42.5±1 6% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Canton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Canton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5% MA: 47.3% |
76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kLowest 38% above MA |
$191,835±$19kHighest 85% above MA |
$171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$737,100±$33kHighest 31% above MA |
$687,100±$20kLowest 22% above MA |
| Sharon and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$2,310±$345 31% above MA |
$2,205±$222Lowest 25% above MA |
| Canton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,523 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Canton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
39 minHighest 33% above MA |
34 minLowest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 282 in MA | #23 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Sharon | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | Canton High | Sharon High | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.9 |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.