Compare towns
Sharon vs Athol vs Peterborough
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 homeowners (93.1%).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Peterborough has the most people working from home (15.8%).
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 | Athol | Peterborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 442Lowest |
12,011Highest |
6,408 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±11.2 27% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
52.1±1.9Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Peterborough and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±8.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Athol and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,125±$19kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$98,401±$8k 22% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $475,900±$38kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$404,500±$31k 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,458±$1kHighest 3% above U.S. |
$1,150±$182Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,395±$209 about the U.S. average |
| Sharon and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,274 165% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$8,655Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.6%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Peterborough and Sharon 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 | — | #256 of 282 in MA | #59 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Athol-Royalston | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | — | Athol High | Conval Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Lowest |
12.0Highest |
| 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.