Compare towns
Cavendish vs Needham vs Sharon vs Barnet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Sharon has the most renters (20.3% rent).
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k 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.
| Measure | Cavendish | Needham | Sharon | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242Lowest |
32,459Highest |
1,577 |
1,855 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
47.7±5.3Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±3.8Highest 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+ | 39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29k 10% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
$67,386±$15kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40k 14% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
$247,900±$24kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546 29% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
$974±$72Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
$4,489 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barnet and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — | Sharon School District | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | 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.