Compare towns
Dedham vs Pomfret 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
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).
Pomfret has the most people working from home (30.3%).
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 | Dedham | Pomfret | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
908Lowest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
53.4±12.1Highest 37% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
| Pomfret and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±6.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pomfret and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% U.S.: 35.7% |
58%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$84,229±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$399,200±$144k 20% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,170±$98Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$6,722 116% above U.S. |
$5,903Lowest 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24%±22.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.3%±10.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pomfret and Dedham 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Dedham | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.