Compare towns
Sharon vs Hadley vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sharon has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Hadley | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,574 |
5,306Lowest |
24,690Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1Lowest 6% above MA |
45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
42.8±1.2 7% above MA |
| Hadley and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Sharon 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 MA: 47.3% |
61.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
73.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley and Westford 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 85% above MA |
$119,259±$12kLowest 15% above MA |
$187,198±$10k 80% above MA |
| 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 31% above MA |
$511,000±$43kLowest 9% below MA |
$748,500±$32kHighest 33% above MA |
| 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 31% above MA |
$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,436±$422Highest 38% above MA |
| 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 67% above MA |
$5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
$9,695 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 33% above MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #116 of 282 in MA | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sharon | Hadley | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | Sharon High | Hopkins Academy | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
7.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.