Compare towns
Auburn vs Ayer vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the most homeowners (79.6%).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% 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 | Auburn | Ayer | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970 |
8,645Lowest |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
39.2±2.8 about the MA average |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest 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%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.3% MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10kHighest 12% above MA |
$101,875±$15k about the MA average |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
| 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±$16k 29% below MA |
$463,800±$29kHighest 17% below MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155 17% below MA |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
| Worcester and Auburn 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 |
$5,057 16% below MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Auburn 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% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 12% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest 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 | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Ayer Shirley School District | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.5Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet |
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.