Compare towns
Natick vs Marblehead vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
Marblehead has the highest household income ($182k).
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 | Natick | Marblehead | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 36,873 |
20,413Lowest |
38,876Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.4 8% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Shrewsbury and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.8% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Natick and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $138,538±$11kLowest 33% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$139,302±$11k 34% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $821,000±$25k 46% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$592,300±$20kLowest 5% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,116±$98 20% above MA |
| Natick and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,914Highest 49% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$6,923Lowest 16% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Marblehead and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #48 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Natick | Marblehead | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Natick High | Marblehead High | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
10.7Lowest |
14.4Highest |
| 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.