Pros & Cons of Sharon, MA, a Metro Boston Community
A Lovely, Greater Boston Suburb
Sharon is a town in Norfolk County. It is bordered by Canton to the northeast, Norwood to the north, Walpole to the northwest, Foxborough to the west, Stoughton to the east, Easton to the southeast and a small portion of Mansfield to the southeast. Wow, a lot of neighbors!
Just a little History-
Native Americans hunted and fished in the area for hundreds of years before British settlers came in 1637and you can see the rolling hills, very mature pine trees, 10 stories at least! And many stone walls hand built over a century ago.
What is the town like now?
Modern, outdoorsy, peaceful, friendly all describe this town that borders access to a major highway and many towns with lots of shopping for everything you need. If you travel for work this makes it convenient. Easy access to both Rhode Island and the Boston area. Known for it’s good schools and plethora of single family homes, take a drive and see all it has to offer.
3 Wonderful Outdoor Features
Lake Massapoag with a Beach, a Wildlife Sanctuary, Great Hikes in the Woods
• Lake Massapoag and Memorial Park Beach-beautiful lake surrounded by homes with dock access. Used in summer for children’s camps WHICH ALSO HAS Sharon Community Center wrapped around one end.- has all kinds of programming from Yoga classes to dining etiquette for children classes!
• Beauty of living in a wooded suburb that feels open and spacious with plenty of privacy
• Massachusetts Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary “Moose Hill”
• Sharon Beaches
Profile of Sharon
The Great Outdoors-
The population is about 18,000 and Sharon is part of Greater Boston, about 17 miles southwest of downtown Boston. & almost midway between Boston and Providence.
• Sharon has access to Boston and Providence via MBTA commuter trains stopping at the Sharon station, and to New York City and Washington, D.C., via Amtrak trains at nearby Route 128 station.
• When driving, Route 95 north and south give you access to Boston, Providence.
CONS:
Taxes are high at $20.30 per $1,000 value of the home. An example would be at an $800,000 home, you will pay $1,353 per month in real estate taxes.
Housing is expensive, but Sharon spends money on schools. Sharon is highly rated on great schools.org at a 9 out of 10.
Only about 3 restaurants are located in the town– but driving distance to many areas with eateries is just a few minutes.
The town square is tiny and still has old historic houses within walking distance.
What sets Sharon apart form other suburban areas? The low density- open space and country feel. The town restricts home building to just shy of an acre of land at 40,000 square feet.
Fun Facts:
Composer Leonard Bernstein, though from Lawrence, spent his summers as a youth in Sharon.
Sharon itself is a bit famous. Parts of Shutter Island, originally penned by the Boston writer Dennis Lehane, were filmed in Sharon.