Compare towns
Shrewsbury vs Sutton vs Upton vs Boylston
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 people working from home (26.3%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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.
| Measure | Shrewsbury | Sutton | Upton | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 38,876Highest |
9,452 |
8,189 |
4,948Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
| Boylston and Upton 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% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Shrewsbury and Sutton 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 |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$140,962±$28k 36% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton 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 |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$578,600±$47k 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 |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,032±$350 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 | $6,923 16% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,266 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
79.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Shrewsbury and Upton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Shrewsbury | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Shrewsbury High School | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.4Highest |
12.6 |
11.2 |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.