What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sharon has the most people working from home (31.5%).

Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sharon	Central Falls
People
Population	18,574Lowest	22,701Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.5±1Highest 9% above U.S.	32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	27.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22%	26.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Sharon and Central Falls 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%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	76.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sharon and Central Falls 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.	$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$737,100±$33kHighest 122% above U.S.	$352,100±$30kLowest 6% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,310±$345Highest 63% above U.S.	$1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Central Falls and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S.	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	39 minHighest 46% above U.S.	27 minLowest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	31.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#23 of 282 in MA	#38 of 38 in RI
School district	Sharon	Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning
High school in town	Sharon High	Central Falls Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.