Population 1,191 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Shirley Center
Household size in Shirley Center
| Period | Shirley Center | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.18 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.78 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.70 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.47 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Shirley Center average 2.70 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the wider Boston area, where it has 2.55 people. Household size has dropped from 3.18 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Shirley Center
| Period | Shirley Center | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.3 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.7 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.0 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.1 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +9.8 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.1, Shirley Center is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Shirley Center
| Period | Shirley Center | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Shirley Center as they are nationally: 11.7%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the Boston area overall (9.7%).
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Shirley Center
Renters in Shirley Center
| Period | Shirley Center | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.8% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.7% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.6% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Shirley Center is largely a place of homeowners: only 20.6% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly three in ten owners (28.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Shirley Center
| Period | Shirley Center | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.5% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Shirley Center: 7.5% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The Boston area as a whole looks much the same.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Shirley Center
| Period | Shirley Center | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Shirley Center are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1987, versus 1980 across the U.S.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Shirley Center
| Period | Shirley Center | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,022 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,261 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $969 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,947 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$925 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Shirley Center costs $1,947 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the Boston area as a whole ($2,051). Rent takes 27.1% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Shirley Center
Bachelor's degrees in Shirley Center
| Period | Shirley Center | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.9% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 43.3% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.5% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 46.0% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Shirley Center: 46.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Locally, though, the share is lower than in the wider Boston area (51.9%).
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Shirley Center
| Period | Shirley Center | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.8% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.6% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.4% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.6% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Shirley Center: 95.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Shirley Center
| Period | Shirley Center | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.8%, unemployment in Shirley Center is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in the Boston area overall (4.9%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Shirley Center compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shirley Center | 2.70 | 46.1 | 11.7% | 20.6% | 7.5% | 1987 | $1,947 | 46.0% | 95.6% | 5.8% |
| Shirley | 2.47 | 41.9 | 7.7% | 22.0% | 7.1% | 1970 | $1,594 | 37.3% | 89.0% | 4.6% |
| Townsend Harbor | 2.83 | 42.3 | 6.8% | 8.2% | 3.0% | 1986 | $2,247 | 52.9% | 97.4% | 3.1% |
| Ayer | 2.31 | 40.5 | 13.1% | 30.6% | 7.6% | 1972 | $1,717 | 42.3% | 91.9% | 6.5% |
| Devens | 2.33 | 48.0 | 3.6% | 31.0% | 17.1% | 1952 | $1,421 | 18.9% | 76.0% | 4.2% |
| Lunenburg | 2.52 | 43.4 | 9.5% | 19.7% | 3.7% | 1973 | $1,734 | 44.4% | 95.5% | 5.2% |
| Groton | 2.94 | 42.5 | 6.6% | 11.7% | 3.7% | 1987 | $1,481 | 70.2% | 97.4% | 5.4% |
| Harvard Station | 2.98 | 36.7 | 3.2% | 5.8% | 9.8% | 1965 | $2,712 | 80.9% | 97.3% | 9.0% |
| Townsend | 2.68 | 42.2 | 9.5% | 17.3% | 3.4% | 1974 | $1,917 | 36.9% | 94.3% | 5.5% |
| Pepperell | 2.75 | 44.6 | 7.9% | 15.3% | 5.2% | 1981 | $1,466 | 44.3% | 97.0% | 3.7% |
| Harvard | 2.93 | 43.4 | 2.5% | 9.3% | 7.8% | 1975 | $2,301 | 76.9% | 99.6% | 4.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: West Plattsburg, NY · Birmingham, OH · Blanket, TX · Boca Grande, FL · Brinnon, WA · Broseley, MO · Browns Crossing, GA · Welcome Valley, TX · West Newfield, ME · Afton, IA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Shirley Center. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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