Compare towns
Boylston vs Everett vs Maynard vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boylston has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Maynard has the most affordable homes ($527k median).
Shrewsbury has the most people working from home (26.3%).
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 | Boylston | Everett | Maynard | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,948Lowest |
50,045Highest |
10,712 |
38,876 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
40.6±1.5 about the MA average |
| Boylston and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Shrewsbury and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.2% MA: 47.3% |
65.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett 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 36% above MA |
$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
$124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$139,302±$11k 34% above MA |
| 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 about the MA average |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$527,400±$31kLowest 6% below MA |
$592,300±$20k 5% above MA |
| Everett and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350 15% above MA |
$2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$1,800±$148Lowest about the MA average |
$2,116±$98Highest 20% above MA |
| Shrewsbury and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,266 21% above MA |
$4,880Lowest 19% below MA |
$8,266Highest 38% above MA |
$6,923 16% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75% MA: 62.5% |
72.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Shrewsbury and Maynard 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 | #72 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Everett | Maynard | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | Everett High | Maynard High | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
12.1 |
9.7Lowest |
14.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.