Compare towns
Harvard vs Putney 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 highest household income ($214k).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Harvard | Putney | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,927 |
2,622Lowest |
8,645Highest |
| 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. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
| Harvard and Ayer 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% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest 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% |
18.1%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putney and Harvard 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% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% 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. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$5,057Lowest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Putney 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% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Harvard | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | The Bromfield High School | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
— | 11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 6 photos → | 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.