Compare towns
Millbury vs Ayer vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Millbury has the highest household income ($119k).
Ayer has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Auburn has the shortest commute (26 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 | Millbury | Ayer | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,961 |
3,098Lowest |
16,970Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.1 7% above MA |
42.1±6.9Lowest 5% above MA |
44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
| Auburn and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Auburn and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
15.3%±5.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.7% MA: 47.3% |
45.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Auburn and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,790±$13kHighest 14% above MA |
$74,878±$17kLowest 28% below MA |
$116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
| Millbury and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $450,100±$19kHighest 20% below MA |
$444,600±$43k 21% below MA |
$400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
| Millbury and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,623±$232Highest 8% below MA |
$1,240±$169Lowest 30% below MA |
$1,467±$155 17% below MA |
| Millbury and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,406Highest 10% below MA |
$4,911Lowest 18% below MA |
$5,289 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±21.9 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Auburn and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.4% MA: 62.5% |
58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 12% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.8%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer and Millbury 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 | #202 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #106 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Millbury | — | Auburn |
| High school in town | Millbury Junior/Senior High | — | Auburn Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.