Compare towns
Ayer vs Sunderland vs Plainville
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 people working from home (21.6%).
Sunderland has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
Sunderland is a college town. 25.5% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Sunderland | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,645 |
3,641Lowest |
9,943Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2% MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±2.8 about the MA average |
35.1±1.9Lowest 12% below MA |
43.2±3.6Highest 8% above MA |
| Plainville 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 MA: 19.4% |
9%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Ayer and Plainville 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% |
16.4%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville and Sunderland 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% |
62.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
25.5%±9.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,875±$15k about the MA average |
$68,083±$3kLowest 35% below MA |
$104,106±$13kHighest about the MA average |
| Plainville 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 17% below MA |
$458,100±$52kLowest 19% below MA |
$476,000±$35kHighest 15% below MA |
| Plainville and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,672±$151 5% below MA |
$1,977±$197Highest 12% above MA |
| Plainville and Sunderland 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 |
$5,611Highest 6% below MA |
$5,329 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Sunderland and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7% MA: 10% |
14.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
42%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
17 minLowest 41% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer and Plainville 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 | #220 of 282 in MA | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | Sunderland | Plainville |
| High school in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
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| 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.