Compare towns
Middleton vs Sharon vs Temple
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has the most expensive homes ($743k median).
Sharon has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Temple has the most people working from home (16.9%).
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 | Middleton | Sharon | Temple |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,816Highest |
442Lowest |
1,363 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.4±11.2 27% above U.S. |
49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Temple and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±8.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middleton and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$113,125±$19k 40% above U.S. |
$94,107±$15kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$475,900±$38k 43% above U.S. |
$401,000±$27kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284 about the U.S. average |
$1,458±$1kHighest 3% above U.S. |
$1,169±$523Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Sharon and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
$8,274 165% above U.S. |
$6,983Lowest 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.6%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.2%±54.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Temple and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Temple and Middleton 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 | #71 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Middleton | — | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.