Compare towns
Chelsea vs Sharon vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chelsea has the most affordable homes ($261k median).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Strafford has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Chelsea | Sharon | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,223Lowest |
1,577Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±12.1Highest 26% above VT |
45.6±7.7Lowest 6% above VT |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
| Chelsea and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chelsea and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Strafford and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,913±$13kLowest 19% below VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
| Strafford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $260,900±$39kLowest 18% below VT |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$467Highest 24% above VT |
$1,386±$155 12% above VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
| Chelsea and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,762Lowest 25% below VT |
$5,903 17% above VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.3%±33.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
| Chelsea and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2% VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 28% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 12.6%±7.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Strafford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | First Branch Unified School District #82 | Sharon School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.