Compare towns
Sharon vs Upton 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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Norwich 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 | Upton | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,577Lowest |
8,189Highest |
3,640 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and Upton 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% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Norwich and Upton 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12k 74% above U.S. |
| Upton and Norwich 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. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76kHighest 92% above U.S. |
| Norwich and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,460±$322Highest 3% above U.S. |
| Norwich and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,903Lowest 89% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% 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% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton 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% |
3.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Norwich 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #1 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Sharon School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Norwich School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.