Compare towns
Shirley vs Everett vs Blackstone vs Ayer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shirley has the highest household income ($122k).
Everett has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Blackstone has the most affordable homes ($404k median).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Shirley | Everett | Blackstone | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,976Lowest |
50,045Highest |
9,255 |
8,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±3.4Highest 11% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
43.2±1.7 8% above MA |
39.2±2.8 about the MA average |
| Shirley and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±5.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Shirley and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.7% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.9% MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $122,365±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
$94,191±$21k 9% below MA |
$101,875±$15k about the MA average |
| Shirley and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $427,600±$36k 24% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$404,400±$34kLowest 28% below MA |
$463,800±$29k 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,481±$421 16% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,189±$85Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,415±$180 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,156 14% below MA |
$4,880Lowest 19% below MA |
$5,703Highest 5% below MA |
$5,057 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
65%±18.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Blackstone and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 39% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 21%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer and Shirley 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 | #239 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #207 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | Everett | Blackstone-Millville | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Everett High | Blackstone Millville RHS | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
13.6Highest |
11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.