Compare towns
Canton vs Everett vs Needham vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Everett has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Everett | Needham | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748Lowest |
50,045Highest |
32,459 |
38,876 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
40.6±1.5 about the MA average |
| Needham and Canton 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% |
21.8%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Canton and Needham 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% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
65.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$139,302±$11k 34% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$592,300±$20kLowest 5% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$2,076±$69Lowest 18% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,116±$98 20% above MA |
| Needham and Canton 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 |
$4,880Lowest 19% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,923 16% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Everett | Needham | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Canton High | Everett High | Needham High | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
12.1 |
11.9Lowest |
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.