Compare towns
Abington vs Ayer vs Killingly vs Brockton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Abington has the highest household income ($125k).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Killingly has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
Brockton has the most renters (42.6% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Abington | Ayer | Killingly | Brockton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,053 |
8,645Lowest |
17,867 |
105,386Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +12.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.1±1.8 about the U.S. average |
39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
39.5±3Highest about the U.S. average |
36.7±0.8Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Killingly and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.3%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brockton and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brockton and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,400±$12kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$80,115±$3kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Abington and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $539,600±$34kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$437,500±$8k 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,724±$250Highest 22% above U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,641±$52 16% above U.S. |
| Abington and Brockton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,045Highest 126% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,820 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brockton and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #143 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #279 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Abington | Ayer Shirley School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Brockton |
| High school in town | Abington High | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Killingly High School | Brockton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.5 |
11.1Lowest |
17.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.