Compare towns
Ayer vs Scituate vs North Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
Scituate has the highest household income ($112k).
North Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($359k 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 | Scituate | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,098Lowest |
10,517Highest |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±6.9Lowest 8% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
45.2±9.4 16% above U.S. |
| Scituate and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.3%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| North Brookfield 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 7% below U.S. |
$112,315±$23kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$79,285±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Scituate and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $444,600±$43k 34% above U.S. |
$449,300±$26kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$359,100±$32kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,240±$169 12% below U.S. |
$1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
$981±$63Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Scituate and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,911 57% above U.S. |
$5,265Highest 69% above U.S. |
$4,176Lowest 34% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±21.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Scituate 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 | #17 of 38 in RI | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Scituate | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | — | Scituate High School | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Highest |
5.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.