Compare towns
Lancaster vs Sharon vs Walpole
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($519k median).
Sharon has the highest household income ($192k).
Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
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 | Lancaster | Sharon | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Lowest |
18,574 |
26,388Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.5% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
42.5±1 6% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
67.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
$191,835±$19kHighest 85% above MA |
$171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$737,100±$33kHighest 31% above MA |
$687,100±$20k 22% above MA |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$2,310±$345 31% above MA |
$2,205±$222Lowest 25% above MA |
| Lancaster and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,523 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% MA: 62.5% |
87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 9% above MA |
39 minHighest 33% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #23 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Sharon | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | None in town | Sharon High | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.