Compare towns

Boylston vs Dover vs Ogunquit vs Shrewsbury

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boylston has the highest household income ($141k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Shrewsbury has the most kids (23.2% under 18).

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.

MeasureBoylstonDoverOgunquitShrewsbury
People
Population
4,948
33,364
1,379Lowest
38,876Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+11.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+76.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
48.2±2.3
24% above U.S.
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
62.8±4.8Highest
61% above U.S.
40.6±1.5
4% above U.S.
Kids under 18
18%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
5.7%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.2%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
Shrewsbury and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
22%±4.1
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8
U.S.: 17.2%
43.6%±10.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
15.4%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
54.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
52%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
63.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
65.6%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.6%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.2%±2.8
U.S.: 6.4%
4.9%±0.8
U.S.: 6.4%
Dover and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$140,962±$28kHighest
75% above U.S.
$94,829±$7kLowest
17% above U.S.
$114,259±$56k
42% above U.S.
$139,302±$11k
73% above U.S.
Boylston and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$578,600±$47k
74% above U.S.
$436,700±$20kLowest
31% above U.S.
$875,700±$79kHighest
163% above U.S.
$592,300±$20k
78% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,032±$350
44% above U.S.
$1,607±$100Lowest
14% above U.S.
—
$2,116±$98Highest
50% above U.S.
Shrewsbury and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,266
133% above U.S.
$8,249Highest
164% above U.S.
$4,473Lowest
43% above U.S.
$6,923
122% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
45.1%±16.7
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
0%±61.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
44.2%±6.9
U.S.: 51.1%
Dover and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
79.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
94.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
72.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977
3 yrs older than U.S.
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1978
2 yrs older than U.S.
1979Highest
1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the U.S. average
23 minLowest
14% below U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
31 minHighest
17% above U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±5.3
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
43.3%±12.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
26.3%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #72 of 282 in MA #64 of 120 in NH — #30 of 282 in MA
School district Berlin-Boylston Dover School District — Shrewsbury
High school in town Tahanto Regional High Dover Senior High School — Shrewsbury High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.1Lowest
12.7
—
14.4Highest
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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.