Compare towns
Ayer vs Baltic vs Sprague
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 the most people working from home (21.6%).
Baltic has the most renters (62.2% rent).
Sprague has the oldest population (median age 48.5).
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 | Baltic | Sprague |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,645Highest |
1,157Lowest |
2,962 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
37.8±15.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.5±10.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Sprague and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±10.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sprague and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,875±$15kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$68,958±$47kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$92,850±$11k 15% above U.S. |
| Ayer and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$196,200±$27kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$273,500±$17k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,415±$180Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,247±$141Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$1,247±$144Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,057Highest 62% above U.S. |
$3,799Lowest 22% above U.S. |
$4,668 50% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.3%±13.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.9%±12.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ayer and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 282 in MA | — | #141 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | — | Sprague School District |
| High school in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.