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 (21.6%).
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 |
8,645Lowest |
16,427Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.1±4.6 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Highest 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% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest 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% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 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±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$119,813±$16kHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Burrillville and Ayer 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. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$384,400±$18k 16% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180Highest about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$5,057Highest 62% above U.S. |
$4,667 50% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 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% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 20% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest 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 | Ayer Shirley School District | Burrillville |
| High school in town | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Burrillville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.9Lowest |
11.5 |
12.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.