Compare towns
Boylston vs Sutton vs Upton 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Sutton | Upton | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,948Lowest |
9,452 |
8,189 |
38,876Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Boylston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston and Upton 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% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
65.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Shrewsbury and Sutton 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 36% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$139,302±$11kLowest 34% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton 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 |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41k 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±$350 15% above MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below 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 | $7,266 21% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,923 16% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Sutton 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% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
72.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Shrewsbury and Upton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.6 |
11.2 |
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.