Compare towns
Harvard vs Plainfield vs Sutton 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%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Sutton has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
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 | Plainfield | Sutton | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,927Lowest |
15,141Highest |
9,452 |
8,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.7 13% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
| Sutton and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Harvard and Ayer 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% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Plainfield 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Ayer 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. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180Highest about the U.S. average |
| Ayer and Harvard 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. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #105 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Harvard | Plainfield School District | Sutton | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | The Bromfield High School | Plainfield High School | Sutton High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
10.3Lowest |
12.6Highest |
11.5 |
| 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.