Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Ayer vs Canterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooklyn has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Canterbury has the most homeowners (88.7%).
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 | Brooklyn | Ayer | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,517 |
8,645Highest |
5,124Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.4±4.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
15%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,207±$15kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$103,198±$6kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$334,200±$12k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180Highest about the U.S. average |
$924±$367Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,538 45% above U.S. |
$5,057Highest 62% above U.S. |
$4,140Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±13 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ayer and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Canterbury 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 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA | #125 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | Ayer Shirley School District | Canterbury School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.