Compare towns
Pomfret vs Dedham vs Sharon vs Barnard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pomfret has the most people working from home (30.3%).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).
Sharon has the most affordable homes ($347k median).
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
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 | Pomfret | Dedham | Sharon | Barnard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 908Lowest |
25,237Highest |
1,577 |
1,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±12.1Highest 37% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
42.4±6Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Pomfret and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
26.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnard and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pomfret and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,229±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
$97,581±$19k 21% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $399,200±$144k 20% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$402,600±$71k 21% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,170±$98Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
$1,372±$80 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,722 116% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$5,903Lowest 89% above U.S. |
$6,038 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24%±22.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
27%±19.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.3%±10.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±10.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pomfret and Dedham 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 | — | #119 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Dedham | Sharon School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| 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.