What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ayer has the most affordable homes ($445k median).

Reading has the highest household income ($166k).

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	Reading
People
Population	3,098Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.1±6.9Lowest 5% above MA	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
	Reading 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%	22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Reading and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.3%±5.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Reading 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%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±3Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Ayer and Reading 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	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$444,600±$43kLowest 21% below MA	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,240±$169Lowest 30% below MA	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,911Lowest 18% below MA	$9,320Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±21.9Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Ayer and Reading 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%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA	1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	31 minHighest 6% above MA
Work from home	19.8%±6.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#113 of 282 in MA	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Reading
High school in town	—	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.1
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.