What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wrentham has the highest household income ($152k).

Ayer has the most affordable 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	Wrentham	Ayer
People
Population	12,297Highest	8,645Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.8±3.2Highest 17% above MA	39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	19.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.3%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Ayer and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%	4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Wrentham and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$151,676±$17kHighest 46% above MA	$101,875±$15kLowest about the MA average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$654,900±$26kHighest 17% above MA	$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,184±$628Lowest 33% below MA	$1,415±$180Highest 20% below MA
	Ayer and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,373Highest 23% above MA	$5,057Lowest 16% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.6%±15.4Lowest MA: 51.8%	45.1%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Ayer and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.9%Lowest MA: 10%	10.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest MA: 62.5%	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA	1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minLowest 11% above MA	33 minHighest 13% above MA
Work from home	21.9%±4Highest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±5.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Wrentham and Ayer 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	#49 of 282 in MA	#113 of 282 in MA
School district	King Philip · Wrentham	Ayer Shirley School District
High school in town	King Philip Regional High	Ayer Shirley Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Highest	11.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.