Compare towns
Sharon vs Amherst vs Cavendish
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 renters (20.3% rent).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Cavendish has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Amherst | Cavendish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,577 |
11,861Highest |
1,242Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.2±5.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amherst and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cavendish and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$89,063±$29k 10% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$285,100±$40kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
$1,462±$256Highest 3% above U.S. |
$1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
| Amherst and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,903 89% above U.S. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.9%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amherst and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #20 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Sharon School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 18 photos → |
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.