Compare towns
Shirley vs Chaplin vs West Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shirley has the highest household income ($122k).
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
West Boylston has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Shirley | Chaplin | West Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,976 |
2,070Lowest |
7,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±3.4 14% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.5±2.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
| West Boylston and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Shirley and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Boylston and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,365±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$97,846±$14kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$104,551±$12k 30% above U.S. |
| Shirley and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $427,600±$36k 29% above U.S. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$440,000±$24kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| West Boylston and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,481±$421Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,261±$154Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Shirley and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,156 65% above U.S. |
$4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.9%±12.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Shirley and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21%±7.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shirley and Chaplin 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 | #239 of 282 in MA | — | #97 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | West Boylston |
| High school in town | None in town | Parish Hill High School | West Boylston Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.5Lowest |
10.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.