Compare towns
Guilford vs Ware 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
Guilford has the most people working from home (16.7%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
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 | Guilford | Ware | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,461 |
10,048Highest |
1,577Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.7±5.2Highest 20% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
| Guilford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Guilford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,243±$6k 7% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$84,375±$17kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,600±$39k 6% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$346,700±$37kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,283±$273 9% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
| Sharon and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,827 87% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Guilford 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Ware | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.