Compare towns
Shrewsbury vs Canton vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shrewsbury has the most affordable homes ($592k median).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
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 | Shrewsbury | Canton | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,876Highest |
24,748Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Canton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton 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% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.6% MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $139,302±$11k 34% above MA |
$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Canton 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±$20kLowest 5% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,116±$98 20% above MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Canton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,923 16% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.2%±6.9 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Canton 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% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.2% MA: 62.5% |
73.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton 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 | #81 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Shrewsbury | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Shrewsbury High School | Canton High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.4Highest |
13.1 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.