Compare towns
Worcester vs Lawrence vs Everett 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 the most affordable homes ($374k median).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
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 | Lawrence | Everett | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
88,736 |
50,045 |
38,876Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5 15% below MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
40.6±1.5Highest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
65.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$139,302±$11kHighest 34% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$592,300±$20k 5% above MA |
| Everett and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$2,116±$98Highest 20% above MA |
| Shrewsbury and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 21% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,880 19% below MA |
$6,923Highest 16% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
72.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 13 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 17% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Lawrence | Everett | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | South High Community | Lawrence High School | Everett High | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
13.6 |
12.1Lowest |
14.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.