Compare towns
Millbury vs Ayer vs Plainfield vs Uxbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Millbury has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Uxbridge has the most homeowners (79.9%).
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 | Plainfield | Uxbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,961 |
8,645Lowest |
15,141Highest |
14,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.1Highest 10% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.7±2.8 7% above U.S. |
| Millbury and Uxbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Millbury and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Millbury and Uxbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield 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±$13k 47% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$124,725±$7kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Uxbridge and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $450,100±$19k 35% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$441,100±$25k 33% above U.S. |
| Ayer and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,623±$232Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,555±$265 10% above U.S. |
| Millbury and Uxbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,406 73% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$5,836Highest 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.6%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ayer and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.8%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Uxbridge 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #183 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Millbury | Ayer Shirley School District | Plainfield School District | Uxbridge |
| High school in town | Millbury Junior/Senior High | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Plainfield High School | Uxbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.5 |
10.3Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet | 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.