Compare towns
Ayer vs Chaplin vs Windham vs Millbury
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%).
Chaplin has the most homeowners (82.9%).
Windham has the most renters (52.6% rent).
Millbury has the highest household income ($119k).
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 | Chaplin | Windham | Millbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,645 |
2,070Lowest |
23,961Highest |
13,961 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
43.7±4.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
33.7±1.9Lowest 13% below U.S. |
42.6±3.1 10% above U.S. |
| Chaplin and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Millbury and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Millbury 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% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham and Chaplin 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. |
$97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$118,790±$13kHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Millbury and Ayer 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. |
$255,200±$24k 23% below U.S. |
$209,800±$9kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$450,100±$19k 35% above U.S. |
| Ayer and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,107±$69Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,623±$232Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Millbury and Chaplin 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. |
$4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,633 49% above U.S. |
$5,406Highest 73% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Ayer 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% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Chaplin 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 | — | #143 of 149 in CT | #202 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Millbury |
| High school in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Parish Hill High School | Windham High School | Millbury Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
7.5Lowest |
9.8 |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.