The Town FilesAyer, Massachusetts
Town in Middlesex County · population 8,479 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $463,800
- Household income
- $101,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 63 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 39.2
Ayer is a town of 8,479 people in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $463,800, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 80% of Massachusetts towns, hipper than 73% of Massachusetts towns, better transit than 72% of Massachusetts towns.
How Ayer ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ayer is worth $463,800, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 4.6 times the median household income of $101,875, which is more affordable than 49% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,415 a month. 69.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ayer | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $463,800 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,415 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $101,875 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.6× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 69.2% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ayer
| People | Ayer | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.5% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.3% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.7% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.0% | — |
| Work from home | 21.6% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 33.0 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.8% | 93.9% |
Weather in Ayer
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 15.6°F. About 43.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 62.9 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 137 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ayer since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 3, 1970 about 2.6 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 1 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 4, 2015.
Severe weather in Middlesex County since 1996
Middlesex County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| April 13, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4214: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Middlesex County
Middlesex County had 926,104 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $113,704 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Ayer itself the ACS puts it at 7%.
Public schools in Ayer
2 public schools with 952 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Page Hilltop Elementary School | PK-5 | 540 | 13.5 |
| Ayer Shirley Regional High School | 9-12 | 412 | 11.8 |
Towns near Ayer
- Ayer, MA0.6 mi · 2,986 people · home $444,600
- Groton, MA3.2 mi · 11,315 people · home $743,400
- Shirley, MA3.4 mi · 7,431 people · home $427,600
- Harvard, MA4.4 mi · 6,851 people · home $833,600
- Littleton, MA4.8 mi · 10,141 people · home $658,300
- Littleton Common, MA5.7 mi · 3,065 people · home $558,200
- Boxborough, MA6.2 mi · 5,506 people · home $706,900
- Westford, MA7.0 mi · 24,643 people · home $748,500
Ayer questions
Is Ayer, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ayer scores better for retirees than 46% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 56%. 14.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.2).
How much does a house cost in Ayer?
The median owner-occupied home in Ayer is valued at $463,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $101,875, so homes cost about 4.6 times income. Median rent is $1,415 a month.
What is the weather like in Ayer?
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 15.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.4 inches of precipitation a year and 62.9 inches of snow.
Does Ayer get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ayer since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 3, 1970. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)