Compare towns
Sharon vs Marblehead vs Stoughton
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 kids (27.2% under 18).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
Stoughton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
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.
| Measure | Sharon | Marblehead | Stoughton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,574Lowest |
20,413 |
29,225Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1Lowest 6% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
45.7±1.9 14% above MA |
| Marblehead and Stoughton 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% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.8%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Stoughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 76.7% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Stoughton 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 85% above MA |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
$104,794±$6kLowest about the MA average |
| Sharon and Marblehead 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 |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$523,800±$28kLowest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,310±$345Highest 31% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,050±$200 16% above MA |
| Sharon and Stoughton 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 |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$6,215Lowest 4% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±16.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
68.4%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
8.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
74.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 33% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
33 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.5%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.4%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Sharon 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 | #47 of 282 in MA | #196 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sharon | — | Stoughton |
| High school in town | Sharon High | — | Stoughton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
— | 10.8Lowest |
| 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.