Compare towns
Shrewsbury vs Wakefield vs Natick
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).
Wakefield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
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 | Natick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,876Highest |
27,793Lowest |
36,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
43.3±1.4Highest 8% above MA |
| Natick 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% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Shrewsbury and Natick 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% |
20.4%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Natick 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% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Natick 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±$11kHighest 34% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$138,538±$11k 33% above MA |
| Shrewsbury and Natick 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 |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$821,000±$25kHighest 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,116±$98 20% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA |
| Natick and Shrewsbury 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 |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$8,914Highest 49% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.2%±6.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Shrewsbury and Wakefield 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% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Shrewsbury and Natick 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 | #48 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Shrewsbury | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Natick |
| High school in town | Shrewsbury High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Natick High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.4Highest |
10.7Lowest |
12.6 |
| 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.