What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).

Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).

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	Woonsocket	Ayer
People
Population	43,521Highest	8,645Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.	39.2±2.8Highest about the U.S. average
	Ayer and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	20.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Woonsocket and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Woonsocket and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Woonsocket and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S.	$101,875±$15kHighest 26% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S.	$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S.	$1,415±$180Highest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S.	$5,057Highest 62% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Woonsocket and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	10.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	69.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 11% above U.S.	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#37 of 38 in RI	#113 of 282 in MA
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	Ayer Shirley School District
High school in town	Woonsocket High School	Ayer Shirley Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2Highest	11.5Lowest
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.