Compare towns
Sharon vs Sutton vs Upton vs Norwood
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%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k median).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Norwood has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Sutton | Upton | Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,574 |
9,452 |
8,189Lowest |
31,542Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1 6% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Sutton 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% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon and Upton 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% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Sutton 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% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
55.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $191,835±$19kHighest 85% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$107,030±$11kLowest about the MA average |
| Sharon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $737,100±$33kHighest 31% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$651,700±$13k 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,310±$345Highest 31% above MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,116±$83 20% above MA |
| 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 67% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$6,111Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
54.3%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Norwood and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
54%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 33% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 22% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sharon and Upton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #176 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sharon | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | Sharon High | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
12.6Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.