Compare towns
Worcester vs Everett vs Ayer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Everett has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
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.
| Measure | Worcester | Everett | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
50,045 |
8,645Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
39.2±2.8Highest about the MA average |
| Ayer and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Everett and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ayer and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$101,875±$15kHighest about the MA average |
| Ayer and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$463,800±$29k 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$4,880 19% below MA |
$5,057Highest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
10.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8% MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 13 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Everett | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | South High Community | Everett High | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
12.1 |
11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
MA 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.