Compare towns
Foxborough vs Springfield vs Worcester vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Sharon has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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 | Foxborough | Springfield | Worcester | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,615 |
154,749 |
207,055Highest |
18,574Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9 6% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
33.9±0.5 15% below MA |
42.5±1Highest 6% above MA |
| Sharon and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.3% MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,833±$9k 11% above MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$191,835±$19kHighest 85% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $606,300±$28k 8% above MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$737,100±$33kHighest 31% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,843±$70 5% above MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$2,310±$345Highest 31% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,275 21% above MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±13.7 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
49%±16.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% MA: 62.5% |
49.6% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
24 min 17% below MA |
39 minHighest 33% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #138 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #23 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Foxborough | Springfield | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Sharon |
| High school in town | Foxborough High | Springfield Central High | South High Community | Sharon High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.2 |
14.6Highest |
11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.