Median Income
$85,119
household / year
Median Home Value
$337,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$927
gross / month
Cost of Living
112
national avg = 100

Is Shirley, MA a Good Place to Live?

Shirley is a small town of 1,359 in Massachusetts, with a median household income of $85,119 and a 6.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.

Strengths: Shirley stands out for lower-than-average crime.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Shirley is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Shirley city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 111.6

Shirley's overall cost of living index is 111.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Shirley costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.

Metric Shirley, MA National Avg
Median Home Value $337,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $927 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 57.6% 65.9%
Median Household Income $85,119 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Shirley's violent crime rate is 102.1 per 100,000 residents — 73% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
102.1 /100k
Property Crime
277.1 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Shirley is served primarily by Keystone Educational Collaborative.

Metric Shirley, MA National Avg
School District Keystone Educational Collaborative —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 29.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 100.0% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Shirley sees average highs of 34.2°F in January and 83.4°F in July, with 43.4 inches of annual precipitation and 75.2 inches of snow per year.

MetricShirley, MA
Average High — January34.2°F
Average High — July83.4°F
Annual Precipitation43.4"
Annual Snowfall75.2"

Demographics

MetricShirley, MANational Avg
Population1,359—
Median Age53.138.9
Unemployment Rate6.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time27.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)95.5%59.3%
Black or African American4.5%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino0.0%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1813.0%22.2%
65 and over18.3%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Devens, MA 3 mi Ayer, MA 5 mi Lunenburg, MA 5 mi Leominster, MA 5 mi South Lancaster, MA 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Shirley

Shirley, MA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

01464

Shirley vs Other Cities

Shirley, MA vs Devens, MA Shirley, MA vs Ayer, MA Shirley, MA vs Lunenburg, MA Shirley, MA vs Leominster, MA Shirley, MA vs South Lancaster, MA

Frequently Asked Questions

Shirley's cost of living index is 112, where 100 is the national average. That puts Shirley roughly 12% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $337,400 and median rent is $927/month.
Shirley's violent crime rate is 102.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 277.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Shirley are operated by Keystone Educational Collaborative. The district has several elementary, several middle, and several high schools. 29.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Shirley, MA has a population of 1,359, a median household income of $85,119, and an unemployment rate of 6.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Shirley averages 34.2°F in January and 83.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 43.4 inches with about 75.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Shirley, MA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 01464.
The population of Shirley, Massachusetts is 1,359 with a median age of 53.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Shirley: cost of living index 112 (100 = US average), median home $337,400, median household income $85,119, crime index 21 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Shirley side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.