What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sherborn has the most people working from home (49.1%).

Topsfield has the shortest commute (28 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sherborn	Topsfield
People
Population	4,427Lowest	6,564Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±2.3Highest 7% above MA	42.2±1.8Lowest 6% above MA
	Sherborn and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	29.2%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4%	24.8%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Sherborn and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.3%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9%
	Topsfield and Sherborn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	82.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	71.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	3.8%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9%
	Topsfield and Sherborn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$250,001Highest 140% above MA	$195,718±$16kLowest 88% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,026,800±$72kHighest 83% above MA	$853,400±$40kLowest 52% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,338±$316Highest 33% above MA	$1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+ at least 67% above MA	$10,000+ at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48%±26.3Highest MA: 51.8%	41.9%±40.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Sherborn and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.1%Lowest MA: 10%	7.5%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	90.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA	1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 21% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	49.1%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6%	29.4%±8.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#53 of 282 in MA	#172 of 282 in MA
School district	Sherborn	Topsfield
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA 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.