Compare towns
Shrewsbury vs Upton vs Northborough
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%).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
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 | Upton | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,876Highest |
8,189Lowest |
15,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45±3 13% above MA |
| Upton and Northborough 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Northborough 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% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
65.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough and Shrewsbury 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$153,199±$19k 47% above MA |
| Upton and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $592,300±$20k 5% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$620,000±$24kHighest 10% above MA |
| Northborough and Shrewsbury 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,919±$269 9% above MA |
| Shrewsbury and Northborough 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,983 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Shrewsbury | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Shrewsbury High School | Blackstone Valley | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.4Highest |
11.2 |
10.8Lowest |
| 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.