Compare towns
Sharon vs Bow vs Walpole
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sharon has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
Walpole has the most renters (16.5% rent).
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 | Sharon | Bow | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,574 |
8,335Lowest |
26,388Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1Highest 9% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.9±1.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 76.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $191,835±$19kHighest 138% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$171,500±$16kLowest 112% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $737,100±$33kHighest 122% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$687,100±$20k 107% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,310±$345Highest 63% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,205±$222 56% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$8,523Lowest 173% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sharon and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 31.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #23 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sharon | Bow School District | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | Sharon High | Bow High School | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
12.8Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.