Compare towns
Shrewsbury vs Wakefield 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 kids (23.2% under 18).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
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 | Wakefield | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,876Highest |
27,793 |
4,948Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Shrewsbury and Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston 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% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest 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 |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% 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±$20k 5% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$578,600±$47kLowest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,116±$98Highest 20% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above 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 | $6,923Lowest 16% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$7,266 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.2%±6.9 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest 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% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.2% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3Lowest 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Shrewsbury | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Shrewsbury High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.4Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.