Compare towns
Walpole vs Worcester vs Sharon vs Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Sharon has the highest household income ($192k).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k 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 | Walpole | Worcester | Sharon | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 26,388 |
207,055Highest |
18,574Lowest |
25,612 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±1.2 about the MA average |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
42.5±1 6% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Reading and Sharon 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% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 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%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading 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% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$191,835±$19kHighest 85% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% 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±$20k 22% above MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$737,100±$33k 31% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,205±$222 25% above MA |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
$2,310±$345Highest 31% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% 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 |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.6% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
39 minHighest 33% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Sharon and Reading 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #23 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Sharon | Reading |
| High school in town | Walpole High | South High Community | Sharon High | Reading Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
14.6Highest |
11.9 |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.