Compare towns
Shirley vs Ware vs West Boylston
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 people working from home (21%).
Ware has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
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 | Ware | West Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,976 |
6,369Lowest |
7,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±3.4 11% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
45.5±2.7Highest 14% above MA |
| 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%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.8%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| West Boylston and Shirley 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% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley and Ware 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 18% above MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$104,551±$12k about the MA average |
| 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 24% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$440,000±$24kHighest 22% below MA |
| 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 16% below MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,261±$154 28% below MA |
| Shirley and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,156 14% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$6,115Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.9%±12.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% MA: 10% |
14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
6.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4% MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 39% above MA |
27 min 9% below MA |
25 minLowest 14% below MA |
| Work from home | 21%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±4.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Shirley and West Boylston 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #97 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | — | West Boylston |
| High school in town | None in town | — | West Boylston Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.