Compare towns
Worcester vs Weweantic 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%).
Weweantic has the most homeowners (88.7%).
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 | Weweantic | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
1,452Lowest |
38,876 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
44.4±13.9Highest 11% above MA |
40.6±1.5 about the MA average |
| Weweantic and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
11.2%±7.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Weweantic 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% MA: 47.3% |
30.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
65.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
10.1%±8.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Worcester and Weweantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$62,481±$39kLowest 40% below MA |
$139,302±$11kHighest 34% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$420,800±$42k 25% below MA |
$592,300±$20kHighest 5% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
— | $2,116±$98Highest 20% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 21% below MA |
$3,764Lowest 37% below MA |
$6,923Highest 16% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
0%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 17% below MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
3.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | — | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | — | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | South High Community | — | 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.