Compare towns
Shrewsbury vs Worcester 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 most kids (23.2% under 18).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | Worcester | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,876 |
207,055Highest |
27,793Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.6±1.5 about the MA average |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
| Wakefield 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% |
20%±2.2 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%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $139,302±$11kHighest 34% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Shrewsbury and Wakefield 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 |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,116±$98Highest 20% above MA |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% 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 | $6,923 16% above MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.2%±6.9 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Shrewsbury | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Shrewsbury High School | South High Community | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.4 |
14.6Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.