What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sharon has the most expensive homes ($476k median).

Belvidere has the most affordable homes ($239k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sharon	Belvidere
People
Population	442Highest	422Lowest
Median age	49.4±11.2Highest 27% above U.S.	40.7±6.5Lowest 5% above U.S.
	Sharon and Belvidere 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%	22%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Sharon and Belvidere 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%	8.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.6%±3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	1.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sharon and Belvidere 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.	$81,563±$18kLowest about the U.S. average
	Sharon and Belvidere 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.	$239,200±$51kLowest 28% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,458±$1kLowest 3% above U.S.	$1,542±$1kHighest 9% above U.S.
	Belvidere and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,274Highest 165% above U.S.	$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	28.6%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	66.7%±53.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Belvidere and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	86.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S.	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minLowest 21% above U.S.	38 minHighest 42% above U.S.
Work from home	11.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.4%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Sharon and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.