Compare towns
Sherborn vs Whately vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sherborn has the most people working from home (49.1%).
Whately has the most affordable homes ($432k median).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
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 | Sherborn | Whately | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,427 |
1,499Lowest |
5,930Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
44.9±2.3 12% above MA |
| Whately and Dover 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% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Sherborn and Dover 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% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Whately and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 82.3% MA: 47.3% |
47.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover 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 |
$116,563±$15kLowest 12% above MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,026,800±$72k 83% above MA |
$431,500±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$316 33% above MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
| Dover and Sherborn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,027Lowest 16% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±26.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Sherborn and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1% MA: 10% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 21% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 49.1%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #53 of 282 in MA | — | #1 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sherborn | Whately | Dover · Dover-Sherborn |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.