Compare towns
Bourne vs Ayer vs Kingston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Kingston has the highest household income ($120k).
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 | Bourne | Ayer | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
8,645Lowest |
14,027 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
46.5±3.9 16% above MA |
| Bourne and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Ayer and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.8%±3.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$101,875±$15k about the MA average |
$119,876±$13kHighest 15% above MA |
| Kingston and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA |
$610,600±$30kHighest 9% above MA |
| Kingston and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,415±$180Highest 20% below MA |
$1,159±$244Lowest 34% below MA |
| Ayer and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$5,057 16% below MA |
$7,650Highest 28% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
35.9%±13Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.5%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer and Kingston 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #99 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Ayer Shirley School District | Kingston · Silver Lake |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Silver Lake Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.5 |
12.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.