Compare towns
Littleton vs Millis vs Ayer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Littleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Millis has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Ayer has the most affordable homes ($464k median).
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 | Littleton | Millis | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,280Highest |
8,888 |
8,645Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.5±2 9% above MA |
46.4±3Highest 16% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Millis and Littleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Littleton and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Millis and Littleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.5% MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Millis and Littleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $149,722±$31k 44% above MA |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$101,875±$15kLowest about the MA average |
| Millis and Littleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $658,300±$40kHighest 17% above MA |
$603,500±$31k 7% above MA |
$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA |
| Littleton and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,016±$507Highest 14% above MA |
$1,696±$279 4% below MA |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
| Littleton and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,458Highest 58% above MA |
$9,344 56% above MA |
$5,057Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.4 MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Millis and Littleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Littleton and Ayer 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 | #52 of 282 in MA | #63 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Littleton | Millis | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | Littleton High School | Millis High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.