Compare towns
Worcester vs Ashby vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Ashby has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Shrewsbury has the most expensive homes ($592k 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 | Worcester | Ashby | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
3,211Lowest |
38,876 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
40.6±1.5 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.7% MA: 47.3% |
65.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
$139,302±$11kHighest 34% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$390,500±$30k 31% below MA |
$592,300±$20kHighest 5% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,116±$98Highest 20% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$6,034 about the MA average |
$6,923Highest 16% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Shrewsbury and Ashby 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | North Middlesex | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | South High Community | None in town | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
— | 14.4Lowest |
| 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.