Compare towns
Temple vs Canton 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
Temple has the most affordable homes ($401k median).
Canton has the most people working from home (25.7%).
Sharon has the most homeowners (93.1%).
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 | Temple | Canton | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,363 |
24,748Highest |
442Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
49.4±11.2 27% above U.S. |
| Temple and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±8.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Canton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,107±$15kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
$113,125±$19k 40% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $401,000±$27kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$475,900±$38k 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$523Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$1,458±$1k 3% above U.S. |
| Canton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,983 124% above U.S. |
$6,560Lowest 110% above U.S. |
$8,274Highest 165% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.2%±54.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.6%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
36 min 36% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canton and Temple 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 | — | #81 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Canton High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.