Compare towns
Ayer vs Millis vs Warren vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ayer has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Millis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Warren has the most affordable homes ($334k median).
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 | Millis | Warren | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,098Lowest |
8,888Highest |
5,009 |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±6.9 5% above MA |
46.4±3Highest 16% above MA |
38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
| Millis and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±5.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±8Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.3%±5.5 MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Millis and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7% MA: 47.3% |
54.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,878±$17k 28% below MA |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$66,082±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$107,727±$13k 4% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $444,600±$43k 21% below MA |
$603,500±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$333,700±$35kLowest 41% below MA |
$394,300±$55k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,240±$169 30% below MA |
$1,696±$279Highest 4% below MA |
$890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,030±$713 42% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,911 18% below MA |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$4,530Lowest 24% below MA |
$5,163 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±21.9 MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Millis and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
8.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
64.5% MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 5% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer and Millis 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 | #63 of 282 in MA | #165 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Millis | Quaboag Regional | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | Millis High School | Quaboag Regional High | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
10.0Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.