Median Income
$76,094
household / year
Median Home Value
$387,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,223
gross / month
Cost of Living
112
national avg = 100

Is Ayer, MA a Good Place to Live?

Ayer is a small town of 2,969 in Massachusetts, with a median household income of $76,094 and a 0.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.

Strengths: Ayer stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living. Whether Ayer is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Ayer city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 111.6

Ayer's overall cost of living index is 111.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ayer costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.

Metric Ayer, MA National Avg
Median Home Value $387,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,223 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 60.9% 65.9%
Median Household Income $76,094 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Ayer's violent crime rate is 309.3 per 100,000 residents — 19% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
309.3 /100k
Property Crime
366.6 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Ayer is served primarily by Ayer Shirley School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Ayer, MA National Avg
School District Ayer Shirley School District —
Elementary Schools 2 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 12.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 37.8% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 85.8% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Ayer sees average highs of 34.2°F in January and 83.4°F in July, with 48.9 inches of annual precipitation and 59.0 inches of snow per year.

MetricAyer, MA
Average High — January34.2°F
Average High — July83.4°F
Annual Precipitation48.9"
Annual Snowfall59.0"

Demographics

MetricAyer, MANational Avg
Population2,969—
Median Age42.438.9
Unemployment Rate0.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time28.2 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)72.1%59.3%
Black or African American7.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino15.0%18.9%
Asian2.2%6.3%
Under 1817.7%22.2%
65 and over18.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Devens, MA 2 mi Groton, MA 4 mi Shirley, MA 5 mi Littleton Common, MA 6 mi East Pepperell, MA 7 mi

Ayer vs Other Cities

Ayer, MA vs Devens, MA Ayer, MA vs Groton, MA Ayer, MA vs Shirley, MA Ayer, MA vs Littleton Common, MA Ayer, MA vs East Pepperell, MA

Frequently Asked Questions

Ayer's cost of living index is 112, where 100 is the national average. That puts Ayer roughly 12% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $387,900 and median rent is $1,223/month.
Ayer's violent crime rate is 309.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 366.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Ayer are operated by Ayer Shirley School District. The district has 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.0:1. 37.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Ayer, MA has a population of 2,969, a median household income of $76,094, and an unemployment rate of 0.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Ayer averages 34.2°F in January and 83.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 48.9 inches with about 59.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Ayer, Massachusetts is 2,969 with a median age of 42.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Ayer: cost of living index 112 (100 = US average), median home $387,900, median household income $76,094, crime index 56 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ayer side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.