1. Sharon, MA
Top 50 rank: 1
Population: 17,944
This New England town is surrounded by a wealth of good jobs in Boston, Providence, and the Route 128 tech corridor. That helped insulate Sharon from the worst of the recession and ignited its rapid recovery.
A half-hour train ride from Boston or Providence, this one-time summer resort has the natural beauty of a more remote place. Forty percent remains open space, and the town jewel, Lake Massapoag, offers a place for residents to swim, picnic, and enjoy concerts on Memorial Beach.
Sharon’s schools are a big draw for families. So is its diversity. The town has seven synagogues, nine churches, and one of New England’s largest Islamic mosques. Nearly 30% of students in public school are nonwhite, and 18% speak a language other than English at home.
–Donna Rosato
Sharon, MA | Town stats |
Sharon, MA
| Median family income (per year) | $139,850 | |
| Job growth % (2010-2012) | 5.31% | |
| Median home price (2012) | $375,000 | |
| Reading test scores (% above/below average) | 34.9% | |
| Math test scores (% above/below average) | 40.0% | |
| Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) | 0 | |
| Property crime incidents (per 1,000) | 8 |
Financials | ||
| Median family income (per year) | $139,850 | |
| Family purchasing power (annual, cost-of-living adjusted) | $99,276 | |
| Sales tax (state) | 6.25% | |
| State income tax rate (highest bracket) | 5.25%I | |
| State income tax rate (lowest bracket) | 5.25%I | |
| Average auto insurance premiums | N.A. | |
| Job growth % (2010-2012) | 5.31% |
Financials
Housing | ||
| Median home price (2012) | $375,000 | |
| Average property taxes (2012) | $8,103 |
Housing
Education | ||
| Colleges, universities and professional schools (within 30 miles) | 80 | |
| Reading test scores (% above/below state average) | 34.9% | |
| Test scores math (% above/below average) | 40.0% | |
| % students attending public/private schools (within town limits) | 92.1/7.9 |
Education
Quality of life | ||
| Air quality index* (% of days AQI ranked as good) | 91.6% | |
| Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) | 0 | |
| Property crime incidents (per 1,000) | 8 | |
| Median commute time (in minutes) | 33.3 | |
| % population with commute 45 mins. or longer | 36.3% | |
| % population walk or bike to work | 1.0% |
Quality of life
Leisure and culture | ||
| Movie theaters (within 15 miles) | 27 | |
| Restaurants (within 15 miles) | 2,432 | |
| Bars (within 15 miles) | 183 | |
| Public golf courses (within 30 miles) | 260 | |
| Libraries (within 15 miles) | 73 | |
| Museums (accredited by AAM; within 30 miles) | 40 | |
| Ski resorts (within 100 miles) | N.A. | |
| Arts funding ($ per person of state funds spent on arts) | 1.2 |
Leisure and culture
Weather | ||
| Annual rainfall (inches) | 42.53 | |
| % clear days in the area | 55% | |
| High temp in July ° F | 82.8° | |
| Low temp in Jan ° F | 17.7° |
Weather
Meet the neighbors | ||
| Median age | 42.9 | |
| Completed at least some college (% of residents) | 82.8% | |
| Married % | 66.2% | |
| Divorced % | 2.9% | |
| Racial diversity index (100 is national average; higher numbers indicate greater diversity) | 72.1 |
Meet the neighbors
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