Compare towns
Sharon vs Wakefield 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 highest household income ($192k).
Wakefield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
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 | Wakefield | Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,574Lowest |
27,793 |
31,542Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1Highest 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Sharon and Wakefield 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% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield 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% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
55.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $191,835±$19kHighest 85% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$107,030±$11kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $737,100±$33kHighest 31% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$651,700±$13kLowest 16% above MA |
| Sharon and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,310±$345Highest 31% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above 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 |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$6,111Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.3%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Norwood and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
8.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
54%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 33% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sharon and Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #176 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sharon | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Norwood |
| High school in town | Sharon High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Norwood High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.5 |
| 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.