Compare towns
Northborough vs Hingham vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
Shrewsbury has the most renters (27.8% 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 | Northborough | Hingham | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,750Lowest |
24,283 |
38,876Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±3 13% above MA |
48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Hingham and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
65.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,199±$19k 47% above MA |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$139,302±$11kLowest 34% above MA |
| Hingham and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $620,000±$24k 10% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$592,300±$20kLowest 5% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,919±$269Lowest 9% above MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$2,116±$98 20% above MA |
| Hingham and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,983 33% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,923Lowest 16% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
72.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #35 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro | Hingham | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Algonquin Regional High | Hingham High | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
12.9 |
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.