Compare towns
Walpole vs Wakefield vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Sharon has the highest household income ($192k).
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 | Walpole | Wakefield | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,388 |
27,793Highest |
18,574Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
42.5±1Highest 6% above MA |
| Sharon and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.4% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$191,835±$19kHighest 85% above MA |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $687,100±$20kLowest 22% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$737,100±$33kHighest 31% above MA |
| Sharon and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,205±$222 25% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,310±$345Highest 31% above MA |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,523 42% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
49%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Sharon and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
39 minHighest 33% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Sharon and Walpole 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 | #107 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #23 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Sharon |
| High school in town | Walpole High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Sharon High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
10.7Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.