Compare towns
Canton vs Brookline 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($1247k median).
Shrewsbury has the most affordable homes ($592k median).
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 | Brookline | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748Lowest |
63,266Highest |
38,876 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA |
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% |
18.7%±1.4Lowest 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% |
15.8%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Canton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5% MA: 47.3% |
85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$142,101±$8k 37% above MA |
$139,302±$11kLowest 34% above MA |
| Canton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
$592,300±$20kLowest 5% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$2,116±$98Lowest 20% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,923 16% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±4 MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Canton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.1%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Brookline and Shrewsbury 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 | #22 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Brookline | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Canton High | Brookline High | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
11.9Lowest |
14.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.