Compare towns
Sharon vs Central Falls vs Westford
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%).
Central Falls has the most renters (74.4% rent).
Westford has the most expensive homes ($749k median).
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 | Central Falls | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,574Lowest |
22,701 |
24,690Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1 9% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
42.8±1.2Highest 10% above U.S. |
| Westford and Sharon 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% |
26.1%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±2.4Lowest 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% |
14.6%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 76.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
73.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westford and Sharon 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. |
$187,198±$10k 132% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $737,100±$33k 122% above U.S. |
$352,100±$30kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$748,500±$32kHighest 125% above U.S. |
| Westford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,310±$345 63% above U.S. |
$1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,436±$422Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Westford and Sharon 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. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$9,695 211% 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% |
53%±8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 31.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sharon and Westford 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 | #38 of 38 in RI | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sharon | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | Sharon High | Central Falls Sr High | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Lowest |
14.6 |
14.7Highest |
| 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.