Compare towns
Upton vs Wayne 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
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Wayne has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Upton | Wayne | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189 |
1,101Lowest |
8,645Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Wayne and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wayne and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$983±$554 30% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180Highest about the U.S. average |
| Ayer and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 15% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | — | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 38 | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | 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.