Compare towns
Boylston vs Ogunquit vs Worcester 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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
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.
| Measure | Boylston | Ogunquit | Worcester | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,948 |
1,379Lowest |
207,055Highest |
38,876 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.1% 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. |
33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
40.6±1.5 4% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.6%Highest 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% |
14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $140,962±$28kHighest 75% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below 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. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$374,400±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$592,300±$20k 78% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350 44% above U.S. |
— | $1,487±$38Lowest 5% 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 | $7,266Highest 133% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$4,733 52% 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% |
54.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.2%±6.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Worcester 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest 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% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 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 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±1Lowest 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 | — | #266 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | — | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | — | South High Community | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 14.6Highest |
14.4 |
| 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.