Compare towns
Griswold vs Ayer vs Winchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Griswold has the most homeowners (73.3%).
Ayer has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k 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 | Griswold | Ayer | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,530Highest |
3,098Lowest |
10,284 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9 24% above U.S. |
42.1±6.9Lowest 8% above U.S. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,719±$11kHighest about the U.S. average |
$74,878±$17k 7% below U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Griswold and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,900±$42k 17% below U.S. |
$444,600±$43kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65 17% below U.S. |
$1,240±$169Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,174±$116Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,628Lowest 48% above U.S. |
$4,911Highest 57% above U.S. |
$4,780 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±21.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Griswold and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #118 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | — | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | — | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
— | 9.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.