Compare towns
Norwood 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
Norwood has the most renters (46% rent).
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 | Sharon | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,542Highest |
18,574Lowest |
26,388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
42.5±1Highest 6% above MA |
40.9±1.2 about the MA average |
| Sharon and Walpole 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% |
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+ | 17.6%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
67.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,030±$11kLowest about the MA average |
$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 | $651,700±$13kLowest 16% above 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 | $2,116±$83Lowest 20% above MA |
$2,310±$345Highest 31% above MA |
$2,205±$222 25% above MA |
| Sharon and Walpole 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 |
$8,523 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.3%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Norwood and Sharon 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% MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
39 minHighest 33% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Sharon and Walpole 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 | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norwood | Sharon | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | Norwood High | Sharon High | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
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.