Compare towns
Canton vs Derry 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%).
Derry has the most affordable homes ($432k 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 | Derry | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748Lowest |
34,116 |
38,876Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Highest 10% above U.S. |
40.3±1.6Lowest 4% 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% |
20.7%±2.1Lowest 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%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Derry 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. |
$108,944±$7kLowest 35% above 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. |
$432,000±$17kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$592,300±$20k 78% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$1,547±$138Lowest 9% above 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 | $6,560Lowest 110% above U.S. |
$8,103Highest 160% above U.S. |
$6,923 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±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 | #60 of 120 in NH | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Canton High | Pinkerton Academy | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
13.9 |
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.