Compare towns
Everett vs Lancaster vs Ayer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Everett has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Ayer has the most affordable homes ($464k median).
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 | Everett | Lancaster | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 50,045Highest |
8,606Lowest |
8,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
39.2±2.8 about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Everett and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$101,875±$15k about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
| Lancaster and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,880Lowest 19% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$5,057 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 20% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Ayer 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 | #264 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Everett | Nashoba | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | Everett High | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.