Compare towns
Thompson vs Ayer vs Burrillville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
Ayer has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Burrillville has the highest household income ($120k).
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 | Thompson | Ayer | Burrillville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,337 |
3,098Lowest |
16,427Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
42.1±6.9Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.1±4.6 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Burrillville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson and Burrillville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Burrillville and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$74,878±$17kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$119,813±$16kHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Burrillville and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$444,600±$43kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$384,400±$18k 16% above U.S. |
| Ayer and Burrillville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,240±$169Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,206±$251 15% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Burrillville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,911Highest 57% above U.S. |
$4,667 50% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.1%±14.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Thompson 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 | #130 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA | #30 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Thompson School District | — | Burrillville |
| High school in town | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | — | Burrillville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.9Lowest |
— | 12.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.