Compare towns
Canton vs Ayer vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the most expensive homes ($711k median).
Ayer has the most affordable homes ($464k median).
Shrewsbury has the shortest commute (31 min average).
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 | Canton | Ayer | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748 |
8,645Lowest |
38,876Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
40.6±1.5 about the MA average |
| Canton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Canton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
65.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$101,875±$15kLowest about the MA average |
$139,302±$11k 34% above MA |
| Canton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA |
$592,300±$20k 5% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,116±$98 20% above MA |
| Canton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560 9% above MA |
$5,057Lowest 16% below MA |
$6,923Highest 16% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Canton and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton 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 | #81 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Ayer Shirley School District | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Canton High | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
11.5Lowest |
14.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.