What stands out worked out from the figures below

Shirley has the most people working from home (21%).

Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Shirley	Webster
People
Population	6,976Lowest	17,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.3±3.4Highest 11% above MA	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average
	Shirley and Webster 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%	19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Webster and Shirley 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%	19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Shirley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.7%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Webster 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 18% above MA	$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$427,600±$36kHighest 24% below MA	$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,481±$421Highest 16% below MA	$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA
	Shirley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,156Highest 14% below MA	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.1%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8%	45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Shirley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.9%Lowest MA: 10%	12.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA	1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	40 minHighest 39% above MA	31 minLowest 5% above MA
Work from home	21%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6%	8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#239 of 282 in MA	#271 of 282 in MA
School district	Ayer Shirley School District	Webster
High school in town	None in town	Bartlett High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.