Compare towns
Sharon vs Woonsocket vs Norwood
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%).
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
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 | Woonsocket | Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,574Lowest |
43,521Highest |
31,542 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1Highest 9% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39±1.8 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Woonsocket 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% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 76.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket 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. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$107,030±$11k 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $737,100±$33kHighest 122% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$651,700±$13k 96% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,310±$345Highest 63% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$2,116±$83 50% above U.S. |
| 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 221% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$6,111 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
54% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 31.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #23 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #176 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sharon | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — |
| High school in town | Sharon High | Woonsocket High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Lowest |
15.2Highest |
— |
| 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.