Compare towns
Medfield vs Reading vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Medfield has the highest household income ($236k).
Reading has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Sharon has the most affordable homes ($737k median).
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 | Medfield | Reading | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,068Lowest |
25,612Highest |
18,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±3Lowest 6% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.5±1 6% above MA |
| Reading and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Medfield and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 78.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $235,800±$32kHighest 127% above MA |
$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA |
$191,835±$19k 85% above MA |
| Medfield and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $911,100±$32kHighest 62% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$737,100±$33kLowest 31% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$559 15% above MA |
$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,310±$345Highest 31% above MA |
| Sharon and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,320Lowest 56% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.1%±20.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Medfield and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
3.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
39 minHighest 33% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.6%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Medfield 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 | #26 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #23 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Medfield | Reading | Sharon |
| High school in town | Medfield Senior High | Reading Memorial High | Sharon High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.1 |
11.9Lowest |
| 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.