City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Shirley, MA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Shirley - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,256
Residents
$378,700
Median home
$2,941
Median rent (state)

Shirley - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Shirley places in the 90th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

75th
percentile, home value
97th
percentile, median rent
90th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Shirley, MA

Massachusetts's Shirley is a small town, with 1,256 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Typical homes in Shirley are valued around $378,700, and the median resident age is 44.2 years. 41.5% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 67.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Shirley reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 379.2 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 105.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,941 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Massachusetts's average monthly utility costs around $330 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.9 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

1,256 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Massachusetts

Median Household Income

N/A /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

How does Shirley compare to other US cities?

Where Shirley sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Home value 75% pricier than other cities
Median rent 97% pricier than other cities
Safety 90% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Massachusetts alone, Shirley ranks #23 of 149 Massachusetts cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Shirley against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Massachusetts only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Massachusetts-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Shirley near the bottom of Massachusetts's cities

Among the 247 Massachusetts cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Shirley ranks #208 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Shirley only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Gross Rent
#4 of 247
68th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Home Value
#181 of 240
25th percentile in Massachusetts
Poverty Rate
#208 of 247
0th percentile in Massachusetts
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#147 of 247
40th percentile in Massachusetts

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Massachusetts only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

90thSafety percentile

90th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Shirley's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$378,700 25th percentile more affordable than 25% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Shirley $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Median household income is not available for Shirley in the current Census ACS release (common for very small places).

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 41.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,256
Median Income
N/A
Median Home Value
$378,700
Median Age
44.2
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
67.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
41.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
379.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
102.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
277.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
65.2%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
1.8%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
25.5%

Based on 713 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Massachusetts - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$160
avg/month
Natural Gas
$110
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$330
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Massachusetts state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Massachusetts state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Shirley sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.8
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,941/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Massachusetts

Green Harbor
1,254 people
Holland
1,313 people
West Chatham
1,337 people
South Ashburnham
1,174 people
East Brookfield
1,349 people
Marion Center
1,159 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Shirley's 1,256 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Tripoli, IA
1,256 people
Ignacio, CO
1,255 people
Prince's Lakes, IN
1,257 people
Montezuma, IA
1,257 people
Wurtland, KY
1,257 people
Belmont, NH
1,257 people

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Shirley, MA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Shirley, MA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 92.8% 7.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.8% White 92.8% Black or African American 7.2% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 0.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Shirley compares to nearby Massachusetts cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Shirley (this city) 1,256 N/A
Green Harbor 1,254 $195,930
Holland 1,313 $83,382
West Chatham 1,337 $135,199
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MA FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Shirley, MA?

What is the population of Shirley, MA? +

1,256 people live in Shirley, MA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the cost of living in Shirley? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Shirley; the closest available measure is the Massachusetts state average, a cost of living index of 105.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Massachusetts vary by metro area.

Is Shirley, MA safe? +

Shirley has a total crime rate of 379.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Shirley, MA? +

The median home value in Shirley is $378,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.