Compare towns
Sharon vs Walpole vs Windham
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%).
Walpole has the most affordable homes ($687k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,574 |
26,388Highest |
16,038Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1Highest 9% above U.S. |
40.9±1.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
25.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
67.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walpole 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 138% above U.S. |
$171,500±$16kLowest 112% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19k 135% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $737,100±$33kHighest 122% above U.S. |
$687,100±$20kLowest 107% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50k 117% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,310±$345 63% above U.S. |
$2,205±$222Lowest 56% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,523Lowest 173% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 31.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sharon | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Sharon High | Walpole High | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
11.3Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.