Compare towns
Ayer vs Gray vs West Bridgewater
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%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
West Bridgewater has the highest household income ($123k).
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 | Gray | West Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,645Highest |
8,429 |
7,708Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
38.4±4.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Gray 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% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray 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. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$123,406±$23kHighest 53% above U.S. |
| West Bridgewater 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±$29k 39% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$503,800±$47kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| West Bridgewater and Ayer 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 |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,921±$320Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,057 62% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,471Highest 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±22.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and West Bridgewater 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% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #186 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | West Bridgewater |
| High school in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | West Bridgewater Junior/Senior |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
12.5Highest |
12.2 |
| 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.