Compare towns
Grafton vs Upton vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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.
| Measure | Grafton | Upton | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,902 |
8,189Lowest |
38,876Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.6 about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Grafton 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%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
65.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$139,302±$11k 34% above MA |
| Upton and Shrewsbury 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 |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$592,300±$20kHighest 5% above MA |
| Shrewsbury and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$169 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,116±$98Highest 20% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,117 19% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,923Lowest 16% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±12.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Grafton 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Shrewsbury and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Grafton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Grafton High School | Blackstone Valley | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
11.2Lowest |
14.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.