Compare towns
Sharon vs Millbury vs Norwich
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 affordable homes ($347k median).
Millbury has the oldest housing (typical home built 1965).
Norwich has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Millbury | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,577Lowest |
13,961Highest |
3,640 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±7.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.6±3.1 10% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Millbury 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% |
20.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich 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%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Norwich and Millbury 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. |
$118,790±$13k 47% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12kHighest 74% above U.S. |
| Norwich and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$37kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$450,100±$19k 35% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76kHighest 92% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$155Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,623±$232Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,460±$322 3% above U.S. |
| Millbury and Norwich 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. |
$5,406Lowest 73% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Millbury and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Norwich and Millbury 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 | — | #202 of 282 in MA | #1 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Sharon School District | Millbury | Norwich School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Millbury Junior/Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— |
| 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.