What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hull has the highest household income ($115k).

Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hull	Ayer
People
Population	10,138Highest	3,098Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA	42.1±6.9Lowest 5% above MA
Kids under 18	11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.8%±5.3Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	26.1%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%	15.3%±5.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	37.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±2.2 MA: 7.9%	4.2%±3 MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$115,485±$14kHighest 11% above MA	$74,878±$17kLowest 28% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$646,000±$38kHighest 15% above MA	$444,600±$43kLowest 21% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,081±$187Highest 18% above MA	$1,240±$169Lowest 30% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,089Highest about the MA average	$4,911Lowest 18% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±14Highest MA: 51.8%	46.9%±21.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hull and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Lowest MA: 10%	6.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%Highest MA: 62.5%	58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA	1952Highest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 14% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	19.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Ayer and Hull 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	#66 of 282 in MA	#113 of 282 in MA
School district	Hull	—
High school in town	Hull High	—
Students per teacherat that high school	8.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

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.