Compare towns
Sharon vs Walpole vs Westford
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%).
Walpole has the most affordable homes ($687k median).
Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Walpole | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,574Lowest |
26,388Highest |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1 6% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
42.8±1.2Highest 7% above MA |
| Westford 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 MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Walpole 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% |
67.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
73.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Westford and Walpole 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 |
$171,500±$16kLowest 65% above MA |
$187,198±$10k 80% above MA |
| Sharon and Westford 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 |
$687,100±$20kLowest 22% above MA |
$748,500±$32kHighest 33% above MA |
| Westford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,310±$345 31% above MA |
$2,205±$222Lowest 25% above MA |
$2,436±$422Highest 38% above MA |
| Westford and Sharon 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 |
$8,523Lowest 42% above MA |
$9,695 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 33% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
27%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sharon and Walpole 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 | #107 of 282 in MA | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sharon | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | Sharon High | Walpole High | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
11.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.