What stands out worked out from the figures below

Auburn has the shortest commute (26 min average).

Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Auburn	Ayer
People
Population	16,970Highest	8,645Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA	39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	21%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%	20.3%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Auburn and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Auburn and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,711±$10kHighest 12% above MA	$101,875±$15kLowest about the MA average
	Auburn and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA	$463,800±$29kHighest 17% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,467±$155Highest 17% below MA	$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA
	Auburn and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,289Highest 12% below MA	$5,057Lowest 16% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8%	45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Auburn and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Lowest MA: 10%	10.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%Highest MA: 62.5%	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 12% below MA	33 minHighest 13% above MA
Work from home	14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6%
	Ayer and Auburn 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	#106 of 282 in MA	#113 of 282 in MA
School district	Auburn	Ayer Shirley School District
High school in town	Auburn Senior High	Ayer Shirley Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	12 photos →

MA 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.