Compare towns
Worcester vs Reading 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%).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Shrewsbury has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Reading | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
25,612Lowest |
38,876 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
40.6±1.5 about the MA average |
| Reading 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 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Shrewsbury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
65.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$139,302±$11k 34% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$592,300±$20k 5% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,116±$98Highest 20% above MA |
| Shrewsbury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$6,923 16% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Shrewsbury 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Reading | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | South High Community | Reading Memorial High | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
12.1Lowest |
14.4 |
| 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.