What stands out worked out from the figures below

Grafton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Grafton	Shrewsbury
People
Population	19,902Lowest	38,876Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.1±1.6Highest about the MA average	40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average
	Grafton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.5%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Shrewsbury and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.5%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%	15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Grafton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%	65.6%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	4.9%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Grafton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$131,484±$11kLowest 26% above MA	$139,302±$11kHighest 34% above MA
	Shrewsbury and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$525,300±$37kLowest 7% below MA	$592,300±$20kHighest 5% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$169Lowest 15% below MA	$2,116±$98Highest 20% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,117Highest 19% above MA	$6,923Lowest 16% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8%	44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Grafton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.3%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	72.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 13% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	22.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6%
	Shrewsbury and Grafton 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	#67 of 282 in MA	#30 of 282 in MA
School district	Grafton	Shrewsbury
High school in town	Grafton High School	Shrewsbury High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Lowest	14.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.