Compare towns
Millville vs Ayer vs Sheffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Millville has the highest household income ($127k).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Sheffield has the shortest commute (21 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 | Millville | Ayer | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,160Lowest |
8,645Highest |
3,330 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.2 15% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
48.2±8Highest 21% above MA |
| Sheffield and Millville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ayer and Millville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±5.4 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.2%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Sheffield and Millville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
37.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±4.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Ayer and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $127,188±$32kHighest 22% above MA |
$101,875±$15k about the MA average |
$92,120±$31kLowest 11% below MA |
| Millville and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $444,600±$25k 21% below MA |
$463,800±$29kHighest 17% below MA |
$409,400±$32kLowest 27% below MA |
| Ayer and Millville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,468±$234 17% below MA |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,837±$1kHighest 4% above MA |
| Sheffield and Millville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,327Highest 11% below MA |
$5,057 16% below MA |
$4,520Lowest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.2%±24.5 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.2%±21.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ayer and Millville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
21 minLowest 29% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #180 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #250 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | Ayer Shirley School District | Southern Berkshire |
| High school in town | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Mt Everett Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Highest |
7.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.