Compare towns
Shrewsbury vs Worcester vs Canton
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%).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Canton has the most expensive homes ($711k 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 | Worcester | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,876 |
207,055Highest |
24,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+13% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.6±1.5 about the MA average |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
| Canton and Shrewsbury 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% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Canton 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% MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $139,302±$11k 34% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
| Canton 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 |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,116±$98 20% above MA |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
| Canton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,923Highest 16% above MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$6,560 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Canton 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% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.2% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Shrewsbury | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Shrewsbury High School | South High Community | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.4 |
14.6Highest |
13.1Lowest |
| 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.