Compare towns
Worcester vs Pelham 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).
Pelham has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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 | Pelham | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
14,449Lowest |
38,876 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
41.5±2.7Highest 7% above U.S. |
40.6±1.5 4% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shrewsbury and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pelham 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
$139,302±$11kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Shrewsbury and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$592,300±$20kHighest 78% above U.S. |
| Shrewsbury and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,116±$98Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$6,923 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shrewsbury and Pelham 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Pelham School District | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | South High Community | Pelham High School | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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.