Compare towns
Boylston vs Ogunquit vs Stow 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 most affordable homes ($579k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Stow has the highest household income ($186k).
Shrewsbury has the most renters (27.8% rent).
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 | Ogunquit | Stow | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,948 |
1,379Lowest |
7,165 |
38,876Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3 24% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
40.6±1.5Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shrewsbury and Stow 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Shrewsbury and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $140,962±$28k 75% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$139,302±$11k 73% above U.S. |
| Stow and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $578,600±$47kLowest 74% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$729,600±$39k 119% above U.S. |
$592,300±$20k 78% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350 44% above U.S. |
— | $1,782±$126Lowest 26% 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. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,923 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.2%±6.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stow and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 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 |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.3%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Stow 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 | — | #44 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | — | Nashoba | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | — | None in town | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | — | 14.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.