Compare towns
Sharon vs Worcester vs Walpole
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).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% 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 | Worcester | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,574Lowest |
207,055Highest |
26,388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1Highest 6% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
40.9±1.2 about the MA average |
| Sharon and Walpole 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% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon and Walpole 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% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7 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% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $191,835±$19kHighest 85% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $737,100±$33kHighest 31% above MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$687,100±$20k 22% above MA |
| Sharon and Walpole 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 |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
$2,205±$222 25% above MA |
| Sharon and Walpole 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 |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$8,523 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 33% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sharon | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | Sharon High | South High Community | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
14.6Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.