Compare towns
Shrewsbury vs Upton 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 shortest commute (31 min average).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
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 | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,876Highest |
8,189Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Wakefield 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% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Shrewsbury and Wakefield 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Upton 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±$20k 5% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,116±$98Highest 20% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Shrewsbury and Wakefield 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 |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.2%±6.9 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Shrewsbury and Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Shrewsbury | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Shrewsbury High School | Blackstone Valley | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.4Highest |
11.2 |
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.