Compare towns
Ayer vs Marblehead vs Littleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ayer has the most affordable homes ($464k median).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
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 | Marblehead | Littleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,645Lowest |
20,413Highest |
10,280 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
43.5±2 9% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Littleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Littleton 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 MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Littleton 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±$15kLowest about the MA average |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$149,722±$31k 44% above MA |
| Marblehead and Littleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$658,300±$40k 17% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$2,016±$507Highest 14% above MA |
| Littleton and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,057Lowest 16% below MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$9,458Highest 58% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
55.7%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Littleton and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±5.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #52 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | — | Littleton |
| High school in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | — | Littleton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.