Compare towns
Harvard vs Killingly vs Halifax 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
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Killingly has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
Halifax has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Ayer has the most renters (30.8% rent).
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 | Harvard | Killingly | Halifax | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,927Lowest |
17,867Highest |
7,748 |
8,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.7Highest 13% above U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
41.9±4.7 8% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Harvard and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Killingly and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$118,556±$11k 47% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$481,500±$51k 45% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,804±$375Highest 28% above U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
| Halifax 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 221% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$6,840 119% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.6%±37.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #12 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #120 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Harvard | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Halifax | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | The Bromfield High School | Killingly High School | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
11.1 |
— | 11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.