Compare towns
Cavendish vs Sharon vs Townsend
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 most people working from home (18.5%).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Sharon | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,242Lowest |
1,577 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Cavendish 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% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend 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. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Cavendish 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cavendish and Sharon 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 | — | — | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Sharon School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | 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.