What stands out worked out from the figures below

Leominster has the shortest commute (26 min average).

Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).

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	Leominster	Ayer
People
Population	43,909Highest	8,645Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.3±2.2Highest 8% above MA	39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average
	Leominster and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.3%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Ayer and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.3%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%	14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	42.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Leominster and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,816±$7kLowest 19% below MA	$101,875±$15kHighest about the MA average
	Ayer and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$380,400±$14kLowest 32% below MA	$463,800±$29kHighest 17% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,354±$50Lowest 23% below MA	$1,415±$180Highest 20% below MA
	Ayer and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,256Highest 12% below MA	$5,057Lowest 16% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.9%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%	45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Leominster and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.2%Lowest MA: 10%	10.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	69.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 10% below MA	33 minHighest 13% above MA
Work from home	10.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#233 of 282 in MA	#113 of 282 in MA
School district	Leominster	Ayer Shirley School District
High school in town	Leominster High School	Ayer Shirley Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.6Lowest	11.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	12 photos →

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.