Compare towns
Harvard vs Woonsocket vs Ayer vs Boxborough
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%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% 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 | Harvard | Woonsocket | Ayer | Boxborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,927 |
43,521Highest |
8,645 |
5,496Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.7Highest 13% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
42.7±1.6 10% above U.S. |
| Harvard and Boxborough 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% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.2%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Harvard and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Boxborough and Woonsocket 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. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$144,611±$35k 79% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
$706,900±$72k 112% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,887±$173Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.8%±22.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Boxborough 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% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #12 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #113 of 282 in MA | #31 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Harvard | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Ayer Shirley School District | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | The Bromfield High School | Woonsocket High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
15.2Highest |
11.5 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.