Town Hall · Shirley

Shirley, MA town hall & government

Shirley spent $17.6 million in the year to June 30, 2022, about $2,334 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Shirley's government.

Town budget

Where Shirley's money goes

Spent
$17.6 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2022
Per resident
$2,334
typical Massachusetts towns: $4,883
Long-term debt
$3 million
$394 per resident
Paid to other governments
$9.2 million52%
Police
$1.3 million7%
Administration & buildings
$1.1 million6%
Roads & transportation
$958,0005%
Sewer & trash
$566,0003%
Fire
$366,0002%
Parks & libraries
$307,0002%
Interest on debt
$141,0001%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$136,0001%
Health & welfare
$129,0001%
Housing & development
$51,000<1%
Other
$3.4 million19%

Where the money comes from

  • Property taxes 71%
  • From the state 11%
  • Fees & charges 10%
  • From the federal government 6%
  • Other taxes & licenses 1%
  • Interest, fines & other <1%
  • Sales taxes <1%
Town workforce · Census estimate

Who works for Shirley

Full-time staff
33
88 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$82,100
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
10
and 3 full-time firefighters
Health & welfare
0 full-time35 part
Administration & buildings
10 full-time14 part
Police
15 full-time2 part
Fire
3 full-time7 part
Parks & libraries
0 full-time13 part
Roads & transportation
3 full-time3 part
Sewer & trash
0 full-time2 part
Other
2 full-time12 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2022. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate. Shirley didn't report its staffing to the Census Bureau, so these are the Bureau's estimates.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Ayer-Shirley School District

Shirley's K–12 school district, shared with Ayer. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$20,143
Massachusetts: $26,530
Students
1,687
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$16.3 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Massachusetts districts overall: 49% local, 43% state, 8% federal

  • Local 57%
  • State 34%
  • Federal 9%

Of the $20,143 per pupil, $12,316 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Shirley pay

Typical tax bill
$5,156
a year · Massachusetts typical $5,992
Effective rate
1.21%
of home value · Massachusetts 1.07%
Typical home value
$427,600
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Shirley's government

🏛️ Official websiteshirley-ma.gov ↗

Town hall & decisions in Shirley →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Shirley

Shirley is represented in Congress by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey and Representative Lori Trahan. Maura Healey is governor.

All of Shirley's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Shirley

Massachusetts · MA · Middlesex County
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