Compare towns
Sharon vs Wakefield 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 highest household income ($192k).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Stoughton has the most affordable homes ($524k median).
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 | Stoughton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,574Lowest |
27,793 |
29,225Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
45.7±1.9Highest 14% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.8%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Stoughton and Wakefield 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% |
41.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest 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 |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$104,794±$6kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $737,100±$33kHighest 31% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$523,800±$28kLowest 7% below 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 |
$2,050±$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 |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$6,215Lowest 4% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.4%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stoughton 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% |
8.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 33% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
33 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
15.4%±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 | #196 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sharon | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Stoughton |
| High school in town | Sharon High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Stoughton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
10.8 |
| 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.