Compare towns
Avon vs Wakefield vs Shirley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Avon has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Shirley has the most affordable homes ($428k 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 | Avon | Wakefield | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,774Lowest |
27,793Highest |
6,976 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±4Lowest 6% below MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
44.3±3.4Highest 11% above MA |
| Shirley and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Avon and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±5.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Shirley and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.6%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Avon and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $130,625±$33k 26% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$122,365±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
| Wakefield and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $509,600±$62k 9% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$427,600±$36kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,558±$265 12% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,481±$421Lowest 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,627 11% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$5,156Lowest 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.3%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.1%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Shirley and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
9.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
40 minHighest 39% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
21%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Shirley 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 | #212 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Avon | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | Avon Middle High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4Lowest |
10.7Highest |
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| 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.