Compare towns
Strafford vs Mansfield vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strafford has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Mansfield has the most expensive homes ($604k median).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Strafford | Mansfield | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,372Lowest |
23,931Highest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
41.4±1.3Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mansfield and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$125,273±$15kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Mansfield and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$603,500±$28kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,803±$147Highest 28% above U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,149 129% above U.S. |
$7,226Highest 132% above U.S. |
$5,903Lowest 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mansfield and Strafford 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 | — | #60 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Strafford School District | Mansfield | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mansfield High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.