Compare towns
Norwood vs Ogunquit vs Northampton 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
Norwood has the most renters (46% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Northampton has the most affordable homes ($430k median).
Sharon has the highest household income ($192k).
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 | Norwood | Ogunquit | Northampton | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,542Highest |
1,379Lowest |
30,962 |
18,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
41.3±2.2 6% above U.S. |
42.5±1 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
27.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
76.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,030±$11k 33% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$80,288±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
$191,835±$19kHighest 138% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $651,700±$13k 96% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$429,700±$17kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$737,100±$33k 122% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,116±$83 50% above U.S. |
— | $1,439±$75Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,310±$345Highest 63% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,111 96% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,680 82% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.3%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northampton and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.1%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit 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 | #176 of 282 in MA | — | #159 of 282 in MA | #23 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norwood | — | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Sharon |
| High school in town | Norwood High | — | Northampton High | Sharon High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.