Compare towns
Canton vs Shrewsbury vs Worcester
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).
Shrewsbury has the most people working from home (26.3%).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
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 | Shrewsbury | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748Lowest |
38,876 |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
40.6±1.5 about the MA average |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
| 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% |
23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest 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% |
15.4%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest 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% |
65.6% MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$139,302±$11k 34% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below 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 |
$592,300±$20k 5% above MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$2,116±$98 20% above MA |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below 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 |
$6,923Highest 16% above MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.2% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest 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 | #30 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Shrewsbury | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Canton High | Shrewsbury High School | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
14.4 |
14.6Highest |
| 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.