Compare towns
Shirley vs Plainville vs Ayer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shirley has the highest household income ($122k).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Ayer has the most kids (20.3% under 18).
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 | Plainville | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,976Lowest |
17,551Highest |
8,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±3.4Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville 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 52% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
| 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 29% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Ayer and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,481±$421Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
| Shirley and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,156Highest 65% above U.S. |
$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Shirley and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainville High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.