What stands out worked out from the figures below

Shrewsbury has the most kids (23.2% under 18).

Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

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	Shrewsbury	Boylston
People
Population	38,876Highest	4,948Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA
Kids under 18	23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4%	18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Shrewsbury and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9%	22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	65.6%Highest MA: 47.3%	54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Shrewsbury and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$139,302±$11kLowest 34% above MA	$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA
	Boylston and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$592,300±$20kHighest 5% above MA	$578,600±$47kLowest about the MA average
	Shrewsbury and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,116±$98Highest 20% above MA	$2,032±$350Lowest 15% above MA
	Shrewsbury and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,923Lowest 16% above MA	$7,266Highest 21% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	45.1%±16.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Boylston and Shrewsbury 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%	6.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA	1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	27 minLowest 8% below MA
Work from home	26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6%	22.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Shrewsbury and 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	#30 of 282 in MA	#72 of 282 in MA
School district	Shrewsbury	Berlin-Boylston
High school in town	Shrewsbury High School	Tahanto Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.4Highest	11.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.