Compare towns
Ayer vs Brooklyn vs Harvard
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 renters (30.8% rent).
Brooklyn has the most affordable homes ($315k median).
Harvard has the highest household income ($214k).
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 | Brooklyn | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,645Highest |
8,517 |
6,927Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.1±4.7 13% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Harvard and Brooklyn 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% |
17.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brooklyn and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,415±$180Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,057 62% above U.S. |
$4,538Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | Brooklyn School District | Harvard |
| High school in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | None in town | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
— | 11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.