Compare towns
Shirley vs Harvard vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shirley has the most renters (22.6% rent).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Harvard | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,976 |
6,927Lowest |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±3.4Highest 11% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Shirley and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Harvard and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±5.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Shirley and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.7% MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,365±$16k 18% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$121,528±$23kLowest 17% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $427,600±$36kLowest 24% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,481±$421Highest 16% below MA |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
| Shirley and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,156Lowest 14% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 39% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
37 min 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 21%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #239 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | Harvard | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | The Bromfield High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.