Compare towns
Sharon vs Suffield vs Norwood
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%).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Norwood has the most renters (46% 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 | Suffield | Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,574 |
15,702Lowest |
31,542Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1 9% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Suffield 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% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Suffield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $191,835±$19kHighest 138% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$107,030±$11kLowest 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $737,100±$33kHighest 122% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$651,700±$13k 96% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,310±$345Highest 63% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,116±$83 50% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Norwood 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. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$6,111Lowest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Norwood and Suffield 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% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
54%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 31.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #23 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #176 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sharon | Suffield School District | Norwood |
| High school in town | Sharon High | Suffield High School | Norwood High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
10.9Lowest |
11.5 |
| 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.