Shrewsbury is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 38,325 according to the 2020 United States Census, in nearly 15,000 households. Incorporated in 1727, Shrewsbury prospered in the 19th century due to its proximity to Worcester, and from visitors to Lake Quinsigamond. The town is governed under the New England representative town meeting system, headed by the Town Manager and five-member elected Select Board.