What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windsor has the shortest commute (21 min average).

Ayer has the most expensive homes ($464k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Windsor	Ayer
People
Population	29,468Highest	8,645Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+14.2% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±1.9Highest 12% above U.S.	39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average
	Windsor and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Ayer and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	42.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Windsor and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,725±$8kHighest 30% above U.S.	$101,875±$15kLowest 26% above U.S.
	Windsor and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$305,200±$11kLowest 8% below U.S.	$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,681±$62Highest 19% above U.S.	$1,415±$180Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,351Highest 72% above U.S.	$5,057Lowest 62% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.9%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	45.1%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ayer and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S.	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 19% below U.S.	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.
Work from home	16.1%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Ayer and Windsor 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	#117 of 149 in CT	#113 of 282 in MA
School district	Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District	Ayer Shirley School District
High school in town	Windsor High School	Ayer Shirley Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.2Lowest	11.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.