Compare towns
Blackstone vs Sterling vs Shirley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Blackstone has the most renters (26.8% rent).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Shirley has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Blackstone | Sterling | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,255Highest |
3,629Lowest |
6,976 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±3.4Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Shirley and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shirley and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Shirley and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,191±$21kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$122,365±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Shirley and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$427,600±$36kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Shirley and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,189±$85Lowest 16% below U.S. |
— | $1,481±$421Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Shirley and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,156 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 28% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±7.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shirley and Blackstone 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 | #207 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | Sterling School District | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.