Compare towns
Worcester vs Griswold vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Griswold has the most affordable homes ($276k median).
Shrewsbury has the most people working from home (26.3%).
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 | Griswold | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
11,530Lowest |
38,876 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
48.1±3.9Highest 24% above U.S. |
40.6±1.5 4% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Griswold and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$78,719±$11k about the U.S. average |
$139,302±$11kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$275,900±$42kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$592,300±$20kHighest 78% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
$1,177±$65Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$2,116±$98Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 52% above U.S. |
$4,628Lowest 48% above U.S. |
$6,923Highest 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Griswold and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | #118 of 149 in CT | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Griswold School District | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | South High Community | Griswold High School | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
11.5Lowest |
14.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.