Compare towns
Epping vs Upton vs Ayer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Epping has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Epping | Upton | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430Lowest |
8,189 |
8,645Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
| Epping and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,936 122% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,057Lowest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 22% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Upton 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #46 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Epping School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | Epping High School | Blackstone Valley | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
11.2 |
11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.