Compare towns
Cavendish vs Townsend vs Sharon
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%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Townsend | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,242Lowest |
9,100Highest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7Highest 17% 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%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6Highest 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% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest 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. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% 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. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 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 | North Middlesex | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| 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.