Ayer, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Ayer, Massachusetts, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Ayer, Massachusetts. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Ayer, Massachusetts. The estimated population of Ayer, Massachusetts is 8,396 people, with a median age of 41.

We can look at the total population in Ayer over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
8,396
+2.92%
+4.77%
2020
8,158
+0.64%
-
2019
8,106
+0.63%
-
2018
8,055
+0.51%
-
2017
8,014
- -

Population of Ayer, Massachusetts by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
78.6%
80.5%
-2.36%
Black/African American
2.5%
4.7%
-46.81%
Native
0.1%
0%
0.00%
Hispanic
9.8%
6.2%
+58.06%
Asian
4.9%
4.6%
+6.52%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
0.00%
Two Or More Races
4.1%
3.1%
+32.26%
Other
0%
0.9%
-100.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Ayer, Massachusetts by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 41 +4.06% 37.9 +3.84% 44.5 +0.45%
2020 39.4 -3.9% 36.5 -2.14% 44.3 0%
2019 41 +5.4% 37.3 -2.1% 44.3 +11.31%
2018 38.9 +0.52% 38.1 -0.52% 39.8 +1.79%
2017 38.7 - 38.3 - 39.1 -

The median age of Ayer, Massachusetts gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 506 -13.65% 580 -3.1% 429 557
10 to 19 270 +102.92% 243 -0.64% 587 222
20 to 29 469 +23.63% 568 -14.84% 587 462
30 to 39 907 -24.63% 606 +2.51% 673 612
40 to 49 492 -21.73% 558 +3.4% 382 574
50 to 59 736 -19.69% 662 +7% 599 707
60 to 69 509 +24.69% 374 +57.68% 638 638
70+ 244 +7.67% 290 +65.82% 245 484

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Ayer, Massachusetts is $101,688.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Ayer.

  • Under 25
    $63,271.00
  • 25 to 44
    $110,479.00
  • 45 to 64
    $136,632.00
  • 65 and over
    $34,848.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Ayer, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Ayer, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Ayer, Massachusetts is currently $117,503.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

15.40% of households in Ayer are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Ayer against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    7.53%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    15.16%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    16.08%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    10.50%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    24.28%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    11.04%
  • $200,000 or more
    15.40%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Ayer is $51,578.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Ayer by the total population of Ayer.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Ayer, Massachusetts, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Ayer to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    18.12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    42.46%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    9.54%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    28.76%
  • Less than high school diploma
    1.12%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Ayer that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Ayer over the age of 16 is 6,918.

Of those people, a total of 76.50% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Ayer is 72.20%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 317 46.10% 60.30%
20 to 24 years 615 73.20% 6.00%
25 to 29 years 434 94.70% 0.00%
30 to 34 years 585 92.60% 0.00%
35 to 44 years 1,260 98.10% 7.10%
45 to 54 years 856 84.80% 1.70%
55 to 59 years 846 90.00% 3.80%
60 to 64 years 766 72.20% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 764 54.50% 2.20%
75 years and over 475 10.30% 24.50%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Ayer. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 5,844 76.30% 4.90%
Black or African American 150 94.70% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 12 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 361 89.80% 3.70%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 284 49.60% 5.00%
Two or more races 267 83.10% 13.10%
Hispanic or Latino 546 73.80% 21.80%
Not Hispanic or Latino 5,669 75.60% 3.20%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Ayer as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Ayer is 4,993, with median earnings of $63,450.00.

Women in Ayer, Massachusetts earning approximately 75.40% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 4,993 $63,450.00
Male 2,597 $72,391.00
Female 2,396 $54,615.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 476 $103,362.00
Business and Financial 214 $64,727.00
Computer and Mathematical 367 $112,917.00
Architecture and Engineering 114 $106,667.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 141 $87,171.00
Community and Social Service 114 $73,393.00
Legal 15 $0.00
Educational and Library 522 $39,861.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 138 $62,024.00
Healthcare Practitioners 332 $66,111.00
Healthcare Support 179 $38,802.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 22 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 214 $22,857.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 59 $0.00
Personal Care and Service 236 $45,709.00
Sales 602 $37,025.00
Office and Administrative Support 549 $50,327.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 234 $120,500.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 54 $34,762.00
Production 341 $60,612.00
Transportation and Material Moving 15 $0.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 259 $104,688.00 217 $103,016.00
Business and Financial 108 $83,571.00 106 $62,895.00
Computer and Mathematical 352 $111,719.00 15 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 84 $106,667.00 30 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 87 $250,001.00 54 $0.00
Community and Social Service 24 $0.00 90 $73,036.00
Legal 0 $0.00 15 $0.00
Educational and Library 44 $75,588.00 478 $37,216.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 67 $77,537.00 71 $61,964.00
Healthcare Practitioners 73 $65,417.00 259 $67,083.00
Healthcare Support 21 $0.00 158 $39,063.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 22 $0.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 130 $26,250.00 84 $16,818.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 59 $0.00 0 $0.00
Personal Care and Service 25 $0.00 211 $45,724.00
Sales 388 $37,300.00 214 $25,781.00
Office and Administrative Support 167 $68,850.00 382 $48,409.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 234 $120,500.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 54 $34,762.00 0 $0.00
Production 329 $60,931.00 12 $0.00
Transportation and Material Moving 15 $0.00 0 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 3,694 households in Ayer, with an average household size of 2.25 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 2,071 families in Ayer with an average family size of 2.95 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 1,555 193 323 1,623
Average Household Size 2.87 3.45 3.81 1.21
Total Families 1,555 193 323 0
Average Household Size 2.86 3.01 3.37 0

Poverty

Of the 2,071 families in Ayer, 1.60% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Ayer:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 3,892 housing units in Ayer, Massachusetts.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 3,694 94.91%
Vacant 198 5.09%

28.47% of the total 3,892 housing units in Ayer are rental units. This is approximately 1,108 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 2,550 are occupied by the owner - or 65.52% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Ayer is $1,171.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Ayer that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    36
  • Less than $500
    9
  • $500 to $999
    254
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    655
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    66
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    105
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    19
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Ayer is $335,900.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Ayer that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    49
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    0
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    83
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    194
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    648
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    1,246
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    330
  • $1,000,000 or more
    0

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Ayer. The chart below shows the number of properties in Ayer that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    884
  • 1940 to 1949
    260
  • 1950 to 1959
    257
  • 1960 to 1969
    259
  • 1970 to 1979
    493
  • 1980 to 1989
    493
  • 1990 to 1999
    554
  • 2000 to 2009
    297
  • 2010 to 2013
    395
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Ayer that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    116
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,471
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,445
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    662

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Ayer get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Ayer that commute to work in a particular way.

32.4 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Ayer.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    140
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    214
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    732
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    276
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    597
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    129
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    523
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    327
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    259
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    541
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    520
  • 90 or more minutes
    199

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Ayer, Massachusetts in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.