Compare towns
Ayer vs Dunstable vs Harvard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
Bordering AyerDevens
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ayer has the most renters (41.9% rent).
Dunstable has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Ayer | Dunstable | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,098Lowest |
3,408 |
6,927Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±6.9 5% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA |
| Harvard and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.3%±5.5 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Harvard and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,878±$17kLowest 28% below MA |
$208,512±$23k 101% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| Harvard and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $444,600±$43kLowest 21% below MA |
$674,000±$30k 20% above MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,240±$169Lowest 30% below MA |
$1,325±$637Highest 25% below MA |
$1,321±$424 25% below MA |
| Dunstable and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,911Lowest 18% below MA |
$9,020 51% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±21.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.9%Highest MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±6.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 282 in MA | #4 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Groton-Dunstable | Harvard |
| High school in town | — | None in town | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.