Compare towns
Sharon vs Needham vs New Haven
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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
New Haven has the shortest commute (22 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 | Needham | New Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,577Lowest |
32,459Highest |
1,792 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
48±3.9Highest 23% above U.S. |
| New Haven 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Needham 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% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and New Haven 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% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$92,321±$17k 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$37kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$379,300±$19k 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,163±$143Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,903Lowest 89% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,967 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
20.1%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Sharon School District | Needham | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.