What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ayer has the most kids (20.8% under 18).

Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).

Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Ayer	Mansfield
People
Population	3,098Lowest	25,358Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.1% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	42.1±6.9Highest 8% above U.S.	21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S.
Kids under 18	20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22%	9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Ayer and Mansfield 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 U.S.: 35.7%	57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,878±$17kHighest 7% below U.S.	$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S.
	Ayer and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$444,600±$43kHighest 34% above U.S.	$335,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,240±$169Lowest 12% below U.S.	$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,911Lowest 57% above U.S.	$5,727Highest 84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±21.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Mansfield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.	21 minLowest 22% below U.S.
Work from home	19.8%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Mansfield and Ayer 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	#113 of 282 in MA	#45 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town	—	E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.