Compare towns
Norwood vs Sharon vs Canton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norwood has the most renters (46% rent).
Sharon has the highest household income ($192k).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Sharon | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,542Highest |
18,574Lowest |
24,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% MA: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
42.5±1 6% above MA |
42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
| Canton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Canton and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
67.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,030±$11kLowest about the MA average |
$191,835±$19kHighest 85% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $651,700±$13kLowest 16% above MA |
$737,100±$33kHighest 31% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
| Sharon and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,116±$83Lowest 20% above MA |
$2,310±$345 31% above MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
| Canton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,111Lowest about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,560 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.3%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
49%±16.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Norwood and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
39 minHighest 33% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Sharon and Canton 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 | #23 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norwood | Sharon | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Norwood High | Sharon High | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
11.9 |
13.1Highest |
| 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.