Compare towns
Plainville vs Ayer vs North Attleborough Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainville has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
North Attleborough Town has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Plainville | Ayer | North Attleborough Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,943 |
8,645Lowest |
30,984Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.2±3.6Highest 8% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±1.4 6% above MA |
| Plainville and North Attleborough Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
20.4%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| North Attleborough Town and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.5%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville and North Attleborough Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| North Attleborough Town and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,106±$13k about the MA average |
$101,875±$15kLowest about the MA average |
$112,665±$5kHighest 8% above MA |
| North Attleborough Town and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,000±$35k 15% below MA |
$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA |
$482,200±$16kHighest 14% below MA |
| North Attleborough Town and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,977±$197Highest 12% above MA |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,509±$102 14% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,329 11% below MA |
$5,057Lowest 16% below MA |
$5,461Highest 9% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±13.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Plainville and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4% MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.4% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.1%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer and Plainville 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 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #94 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainville | Ayer Shirley School District | North Attleborough |
| High school in town | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | North Attleboro High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.