Compare towns
Canton vs Brewer 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
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
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 | Canton | Brewer | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748 |
9,652Lowest |
38,876Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Highest 10% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
40.6±1.5 4% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Canton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Shrewsbury 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 78% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$139,302±$11k 73% above U.S. |
| 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 114% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$592,300±$20k 78% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$2,116±$98 50% above U.S. |
| Canton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560 110% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$6,923Highest 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Brewer Public Schools | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Canton High | Brewer High School | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
14.0 |
14.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.