Compare towns
Sharon vs Orange vs Barnet
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Orange has the most renters (30% rent).
Barnet has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Orange | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,577Lowest |
7,573Highest |
1,855 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47.7±5.3Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orange and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$17kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$67,386±$15k 17% below U.S. |
| Sharon and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$37kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$247,900±$24k 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$974±$72 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
$4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,489 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barnet and Orange 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% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barnet 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 | — | #275 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Sharon School District | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.