Compare towns
Lisbon vs Ayer vs Preston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($316k median).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Lisbon | Ayer | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,211Lowest |
8,645Highest |
4,821 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.5±5.2 14% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Preston and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lisbon and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Preston and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,708±$12kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Preston and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,700±$26kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,415±$180Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,044Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$5,057Highest 62% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±75.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lisbon and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Preston 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 | #102 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Lisbon School District | Ayer Shirley School District | Preston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.