What stands out worked out from the figures below

Shrewsbury has the most homeowners (72.2%).

Westborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Shrewsbury	Westborough
People
Population	38,876Highest	21,944Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+18%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.6±1.5Highest about the MA average	38.8±1.6Lowest 3% below MA
	Shrewsbury and Westborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.2%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Westborough and Shrewsbury 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%	15.5%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	Westborough and Shrewsbury 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%	65.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Shrewsbury and Westborough 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	$141,944±$12kHighest 37% above MA
	Westborough 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±$20kLowest 5% above MA	$685,300±$31kHighest 22% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,116±$98Highest 20% above MA	$2,106±$151Lowest 20% above MA
	Shrewsbury and Westborough 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	$9,983Highest 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.2%±6.9Highest MA: 51.8%	40.9%±8.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Shrewsbury and Westborough 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%	6.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	61.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA	1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	26.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	26.5%±3.7Highest MA: 18.6%
	Westborough and Shrewsbury 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	#21 of 282 in MA
School district	Shrewsbury	Westborough
High school in town	Shrewsbury High School	Westborough High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.4Highest	12.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.