What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Boylston	Shrewsbury
People
Population	4,948Lowest	38,876Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA	40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Shrewsbury and Boylston 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%	15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	65.6%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.9%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
	Shrewsbury and Boylston 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	$139,302±$11kLowest 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±$47kLowest about the MA average	$592,300±$20kHighest 5% above MA
	Shrewsbury and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,032±$350Lowest 15% above MA	$2,116±$98Highest 20% above MA
	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 21% above MA	$6,923Lowest 16% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±16.7Highest MA: 51.8%	44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Boylston and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	72.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 8% below MA	31 minHighest 6% above MA
Work from home	22.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6%
	Shrewsbury and Boylston 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	#30 of 282 in MA
School district	Berlin-Boylston	Shrewsbury
High school in town	Tahanto Regional High	Shrewsbury High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	14.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.