Compare towns
Groton vs Webster vs Webster vs Ayer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Groton has the highest household income ($193k).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
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 | Groton | Webster | Webster | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,390 |
12,228 |
17,748Highest |
8,645Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7Highest 4% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
39.2±2.8 about the MA average |
| Groton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 28.3%±4.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Groton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
42.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $192,958±$27kHighest 86% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$101,875±$15k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $743,400±$46kHighest 32% above MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$463,800±$29k 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,458±$335Highest 17% below MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,415±$180 20% below MA |
| Groton and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
$5,057 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.8%±17Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Webster and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
10.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 27.5%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Groton 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 | #39 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | — | Webster | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | Groton Dunstable Regional | — | Bartlett High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.7Highest |
— | 11.6 |
11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.