Compare towns
Ayer vs Gray vs Windham
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 (+14.2%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Windham has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,645 |
8,429Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
| Gray and Windham 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%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% 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% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest 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. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Windham 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. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,415±$180Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Gray 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. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray 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% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer 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%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
12.5Highest |
12.1 |
| 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.